THE  OUTDOOR 
HANDY   BOOK 


For 


Oround 

?        ( 


Field 


and 
Forest 


THE  OUTDOOR 
•  HANDY  BOOK 

BY 

D.CJBeard 

i< 

New  York 


Charles 
SeribnerS 
Sons. 

«~         1914 


COPYRIGHT,  1896, 1900,  BV 
CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S  SOWS 


SPECIAL     NOTICE 

The  publishers  hereby  give  warning  that  the 
unauthorized  printing  of  any  portion  of  the  text 
of  this  book,  and  the  reproduction  of  any  of  the 
illustrations  or  diagrams,  are  expressly  forbidden. 


PREFATORY  NOTE  TO  THE  NEW  EDITION 

IN  the  belief  that  a  new  title  will  neither  mislead  the 
reader  nor  impair  the  popularity  gained  by  the  earlier 
editions,  it  is  thought  best  to  issue  this  latest  edition  of 
"The  American  Boy's  Book  of  Sport"  under  the  title 
of  "The  Outdoor  Handy  Book. 

This  seems  to  fit  the  volume  better  than  any  other 
arrangement  for  the  place  it  is  designed  to  occupy 
between  "  The  American  Boy's  Handy  Book "  and  "  The 
Jack  of  All  Trades." 

FLUSHING,  June  10,  1900. 


333425 


PREFACE   TO   THE   FIRST   EDITION 

ALTHOUGH  the  present  book  is  addressed  to  the  same 
class  of  readers,  it  is  neither  a  substitute  for  nor  a  supple- 
ment to  "  The  American  Boy's  Handy  Book,"  from  which 
it  will  be  found  to  differ  in  scope  and  character.  "  The 
American  Boy's  Book  of  Sport"  is  not  intended  as  an 
encyclopasdia  of  games.  The  purpose  of  the  book  is  to 
deal  only  with  subjects  whose  novelty  or  practical  charac- 
ter meets  the  especial  need  of  the  up-to-date  American  boy 
who  demands  explicit  and  intelligent  explanations  of  what 
is  of  use  to  him. 

The  many  years  spent  as  a  member  of  the  Board  of 
Education  in  Flushing,  Long  Island,  and  as  a  teacher  of  art 
in  New  York,  have  impressed  upon  the  author  the  impor- 
tance of  early  training  for  children  in  the  use  of  their  hands. 
It  is  with  the  purpose  of  stimulating  this  sort  of  schooling 
that  the  author  appeals  to  parents  and  boys  to  encourage 
the  home  production  of  kites,  boats,  and  sleds,  etc. ;  for 
the  ingenuity  and  self-reliance  thus  developed  are  valuable 
qualities  in  a  boy  or  man. 

Moreover,  a  lack  of  the  proper  sort  of  play  unfits  a  boy 
for  the  battle  of  life,  and  there  is  scarcely  room  to  doubt 


Preface  vii 

that  the  most  successful  men  of  to-day  in  business,  states- 
manship, art,  and  science  are  those  willing  to  undergo  and 
capable  of  enduring  the  most  severe  and  continued  appli- 
cation ;  and  as  this  power  is  dependent  upon  a  robust  phy- 
sique and  a  strong,  well-balanced  mind,  there  is  no  doubt 
that  well-directed  boyish  sport  is  the  best  school  for  the  at- 
tainment of  such  results. 

While  this  work  represents  many  curb-stone  interviews 
with  boys,  and  years  of  observation  and  study  of  the  sub- 
jects that  have  never  lost  for  the  writer  the  interest  they 
held  for  him  in  his  boyhood,  it  also  includes  the  results  of 
many  carefully  conducted  personal  interviews  with  experts 
in  the  various  sports  described,  and  investigations  of  ob- 
scure legends,  written  and  unwritten,  connected  with  games 
whose  origin  is  older  than  history  itself. 

Golf  and  foot-ball  are  at  the  present  time  engrossing  so 
much  of  the  attention  of  our  American  boys  that  their 
claims  have  been  found  too  important  to  be  disregarded, 
while  in  the  necessary  exclusion  of  material  in  making  a 
volume  of  suitable  and  convenient  size,  base-ball,  tennis, 
and  cricket,  possessing  an  extended  literature  of  their  own, 
have  not  been  described. 

In  many  cases  subjects  heretofore  thought  worthy  of 
little  or  no  attention  on  the  part  of  authors  who  write  for 
boys,  are  here  treated  of  at  length.  It  would  not  be  diffi- 
cult, for  instance,  to  fill  a  library  with  good  books  on 
fishing ;  yet  in  the  numerous  boys'  books  consulted  there 
appeared  to  be  nothing  modern,  American,  and  practical, 


viii  Preface 


or  that  answered  the  numerous  inquiries  the  author  has 
received  from  his  juvenile  friends  on  the  subject  of  still 
fishing ;  and  this  led  him  to  believe  that  a  popular  demand 
for  enlightenment  on  this  matter  necessitated  a  chapter 
on  bait. 

The  novel  and  interesting  developments  in  kite-making 
and  kite-flying  that  have  taken  place  in  the  last  few  years 
merit,  and  have  obtained,  extended  description. 

The  great  popularity  of  "  The  American  Boy's  Handy 
Book,"  and  the  favor  with  which  its  successive  editions 
have  been  received,  encourage  its  author  to  hope  that 
"  The  American  Boy's  Book  of  Sport "  will  be  welcomed 
by  all  the  readers  of  the  first  book  and  will  make  many  new 
friends. 

FLUSHING,  LONG  ISLAND,  N.  Y.t 
October  15,  1896. 


CONTENTS 

SPRING. 

CHAPTER  I. 

PACK 

MARBLES '. 3 

Marble  Time — History  of  the  Game — Sakya-Muni  and  Humphrey  Potter 
— How  Marbles  are  Made — Marble  Names,  Marble  Terms,  and  Ex- 
pressions— Games  from  Bull  Ring  to  Long  Ring. 

CHAPTER  II. 
"FAT"  AND  OTHER  FAMOUS  GAMES  OF  MARBLES 19 

The  Uncertainties  of  "  Fat,"  Sometimes  Called  "Yank  "  or  "  Yankey  "— 
Stand-up  Marbles — Follerings — Knucks,  the  Long  Ring,  and  Patter- 
son—The Scientific  Bull  Ring— Duck  in  a  Hole, 

CHAPTER  III. 
TOP  TIME 37 

Whip  Tops— Home-made  Tops— Peg  Tops— Plug  in  the  Ring— Chip 
Stone — Racing  Tops. 

CHAPTER  IV. 
LATEST  THINGS  IN  KITES 46 

For  Practical  Uses — Steering  Kites— Life  Savers — Men  Lifters  and  Other 
Novel  Forms — Kites  as  Motive  Power — The  Malay  Variety. 


Contents 


CHAPTER  v. 

PACE 

MALAY  AND  OTHER  TAILLESS  KITES 67 

Some  Famous  Experiments — How  the  Malays  and  Other  Oriental 
Kites  are  Made—Kites  in  Tandem— Cannibal  and  Chinese  Butterfly 
Kite*. 

CHAPTER  VI. 

AERIAL  FISH  AND  DRAGONS 90 

Paper  Dragons  or  Fish  for  Kite-strings — A  Live  Man  Kite. 

CHAPTER  VII. 
HOOPS  AND  WHEELS 95 

The  Old  and  the  New  Fangled  Hoops— How  to  Trundle  a  Wheel- 
Sport  with  Tin-Can  Covers. 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

How  TO  MAKE  THE  SUCKER 99 

Leather  Suckers  and  Live  Suckers— Turtle-Fishing  with  Suckers. 

CHAPTER  IX. 

UP  IN  THE  AIR  ON  STILTS 102 

How  to  Make  all  Kinds— Stilt-Walking  Shepherds— Hand  or  Arm-Stilts 
are  Best  for  Beginners— Queer  Stilts  Used  in  Various  Countries. 

CHAPTER  X. 

BAIT,  LIVE  AND  DEAD 115 

Salt-Water  Worms  that  Live  on  Land — Angle-Worms,  Hellgramites, 
Minnows,  Crawfish,  Grasshoppers,  Crickets,  Frogs,  and  "  Lampers  " — 
How  to  Catch  and  How  to  Keep  Them. 

CHAPTER   XI. 

COMMON-SENSE  PRECAUTIONS  IN  FISHING 145 

Why  and  How  Fish  are  Easily  Frightened— The  Lessons  of  Nature  and 
•f  Experience. 


Lontents  xi 


SUMMER. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

AQUATIC  SPORTS 151 

Rowing  Clothes— How  to  Make  a  Bathing-suit— How  to  Avoid  Sun- 
burn— Points  about  Canoeing. 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

THE  LAND-LUBBER'S  CHAPTER 156 

Common  Nautical  Terms  and  Expressions  Defined — How  to  Sail  a  Boat 
—Boat  Rigs. 

CHAPTER   XIV. 

RIGS  or  ALL  KINDS  FOR  SMALL  BOATS 176 

How  to  Distinguish  between  a  Ship,  Bark,  Brig,  and  Schooner — Merits 
and  Defects  of  Cat-Boats — Advantages  of  the  Sloop— Rigs  for 
Canoes — Buckeyes  and  Sharpies. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

A  "  ROUGH  AND  READY  "  BOAT 187 

Just   What  an   Ingenious    Boy   Must   Do  to    Build   It— Detailed    In- 
structions as  to  How  to  Make  the  Boat  and  How  to  Rig  It. 


CHAPTER   XVI. 
A  RAPT  THAT  WILL  SAIL. if 

And  a  Home-Made  Catamaran — The  Raft  is  Just  the  Thing  for  Camp 
Life — Pleasurable  Occupation  for  a  Camping  Party  Where  Wood  is 
Plentiful— You  Will  Need  Axes  and  Hatchets  and  a  Few  Other 
Civilized  Implements. 


xii  Contents 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

PACK 

SINGLE  SHELLS  AND  UMBRELLA  CANOES 213 

How  Old  Shells  can  be  Turned  into  Boys'  Boats— The  Cause  of 
Upsets — Landing  from  and  Embarking  in  a  Shell — What  an  Umbrella 
Canoe  is  and  How  It  is  Made. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 
HINTS  FOR  COLLECTORS 222 

How  to  Capture  and  Preserve  Moths  and  Butterflies — A  New  Cabinet. 

CHAPTER  XIX. 
HONEY-BEE  MESSENGERS 234 

How  to  Send  a  Cipher  Message  by  the  Bee  Line— The  Key— Bee 
Stings  and  How  to  Avoid  Them. 

CHAPTER  XX. 
A  "Zoo." 239 

For  the  Housetop  or  the  Backyard — How  to  Build  a  Coop  for  Animals 
on  the  Roof  or  in  the  Yard — The  Way  to  Provide  Homes  for 
Various  Kinds  of  Pets. 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

CHOOSING  UP  AND  "!T.M 245 

"Which  Hand  is  It  in?"— "Pick'er  Up,  Wipe'er  Off,  and  Stone- 
Holder "—"  Last  One  Over"— Short  Straw— Handy,  Dandy,  Riderly 
Ro— "  Whole  Fist  or  Four  Fingers  "— "  Odd  or  Even  ?  "— "  Wet  or 
Dry?" 

CHAPTER  XXII. 

COUNTING  OUT  RHYMES 252 

How  the  Game  is  Played — Various  Rhymes — An  American  Version 
of  an  Ancient  Rhyme — Causes  of  Variations — Rhymes  of  Different 
Nationalities. 


Contents  xiii 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

IN  THE  WATER 264 

How  to  Swim — A  Wooden  "Swimming  Master" — Suspension  Bridge — 
Chump's  Raft,  and  Tub  Races. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 
GAMES  OF  TAG... 279 

Origin  of  this  Sport — King's  X — Last   Tag— Iron   Tag — Cross   Tag — 
Old  Bloody  Tom — Black  Man — Prisoner's  Base  and  Other  Variations. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 
I  SPY 304 

With  Instructions  also  How  to  Play  Hunkety  and  Kick  the  Wicket. 


CHAPTER   XXVI. 

LEAP-FROG 310 

Teaching  the  Game  to  the  Esquimaux— Foot-an'- Half— With  First  Back 
and  a  Leader — A  Game  Requiring  Skill — Spanish  Fly — The  Danger 
of  Quarrelling — Dick's  Hat-band. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

VARIOUS  SPORTS  FOR  HOT  DAYS 320 

"Jack's  Alive ! "—Spirit  Tortoise  and  Dead  Turtles— Jack  and  the 
Candles — Bowlder  On,  or  Duck  on  a  Rock — Nine  and  Ten  Pins- 
Skittles,  Ancient  and  Modern. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 
TIP-CAT •. . .  i 332 

How    the    Cat    is    Made— English-Cat— Country-Cat— American-Cat— 
A  Game  Requiring  Skill  and  Quickness. 


xiv  Contents 


CHAPTER   XXIX. 

FAGS 

GAMES  OP  BALL 336 

How  Town-Ball  is  Played — One  or  Two  Old-Cat — House-Ball — Hand 
Up— Bailie  Callie — Crackabout — Over  the  Barn — Stool-Ball — Corner- 
Ball—Black  Baby— Hat-Ball. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

MUMBLY  PEG,  HOP-SCOTCH,  AND  JACK  STONES 350 

The  Motions  of  Stick-Knife — Universality  of  the  Game  of  Hop-Scotch — 
As  Played  in  Different  Countries— Different  Games  with  Jack  Stones. 

CHAPTER   XXXI. 

PRACTICAL  HINTS  FOR  BICYCLISTS 365 

Regarding  Baggage  and  how  to  Carry  It — A  Photographer's  Outfit  on  a 
Wheel— A  Collector's  Box— How  to  Deal  with  Punctures— An  Ex- 
temporized Handle  Bar — A  Rope  Tire — A  Cleaning  Rack,  and  a 
Bicycle  Stand. 


AUTUMN. 

CHAPTER  XXXII. 
POINTS  ON  CAMPING  OUT 377 

How  to  Make  a  Fire  in  the  Woods  on  a  Rainy  Day— To  Get  a  Light 
Without  Matches — The  Diamond  Hitch,  and  a  Home-made  Cinch. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 
THE  BOYS'  BABY  BALLISTA... 39* 

How  to  Build  this  Warlike  Engine,  and  the  Fun  that  can  be  had  With 
It— Blow-guns  and  Their  Use — Blow-gun  Parachutes — The  LarUt, 
How  to  Make  and  Throw  It 


Contents  xv 


CHAPTER   XXXIV. 

"TALLY-HOH    AND  OTHER  CRIES 4°7 

The  Origin  of  "Hello"  and    "  Tally-ho"— Indian  War-whoops    and 
College  Yells— Boys'  Cries. 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 

INDIAN  GAMES  ADAPTED  FOR  BOYS. 419 

Squaw,  Saddle-bags,  or  Sky  Shinny — The  Way  the  Game  is  Played — 
An  Exhilarating  Sport— Mandan  Ring— A  Fine  Game  for  Autumn 
or  Winter. 


CHAPTER   XXXVI. 

ON  THE  FOOT-BALL  FIELD 428 

The  Antiquity  of  the  Game — The  General  Principles  of  the  Game  as  It 
is  Played  by  the  College  Teams  at  Present. 


CHAPTER  XXXVII. 

GOLF,  HOCKEY,  AND  SHINNY  443 

How  to  Lay  Out  Golf  Links  and  Play  the  Game — Explanation  of  the 
Terms  Used  in  the  Game — How  Hockey  and  Shinny  are  Played. 


WINTER. 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 

TURTLE  HUNTING 45  5 

Methods  of  Capturing  "Snappers"  and  Terrapin  Described — The  Im- 
plements Necessary  and  Where  to  Search. 


xvi  Contents 


CHAPTER  XXXIX. 

PACK 

ON  THE  ICE 460 

Plain  and  Fancy  Skating — Begin  to  Learn  Young — Cutting  a  Circle — 
The  Spread  Eagle— The  Bull  Frog-— The  Grapevine  Garland— The 
Danger  of  *'  Follow  the  Leader." 


CHAPTER  XL. 

STUNNING  MUSK-RATS  AND  FISH 470 

Sport  for  Boys  on  Skates  when  the  Ice  is  Thin  and  Clear— How  Cat- 
fish  and  "  Suckers"  arc  Stunned  and  Captured. 


CHAPTER   XLI. 

SNOW-BALL  BATTLE  AND  SNOW  TAG 475 

The  Rules  of  Snow-ball  Battle — How  Rome  and  Carthage  is  Played  in 
Cuba — The  Ingenious  Game  of  Snow  Tag. 


CHAPTER  XLII. 

THE  "  GET-THERE  H  AND  DOUBLE-RUNNERS 47S 

Instructions  as  to  How  to  Build  these  Famous  Sleds— A  Safety  Double- 
Runner. 


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The  Outdoor  Handy  Book 


CHAPTER    I 
MARBLES 

Marble  Time — History  of  the  Game — Sakya-Muni  and  Humphrey  Pot- 
ter—How Marbles  are  Made— Marble  Names,  Marble  Terms,  and 
Expressions — Games  from  Bull  Ring  to  Long  Ring. 

Marble  Time. 

IN  the  early  spring  time,  while  the  white  frost  still  jew- 
elled the  grass  in  the  mornings  and  the  ground  was  alter- 
nately  frozen  at  night  and  thawed  by  the  morning  sun,  mar- 
ble time  used  to  begin,  and  on  Long  Island  the  custom  of 
playing  marbles  as  soon  as  old  winter  has  taken  off  his 
coat  of  snow  is  still  in  vogue. 

How  my  knuckles  used  to  smart  where  the  cold  wind 
had  chapped  them  and  "  knuckling  down  "  had  ground  the 
mud  into  the  raw  places.  But,  pshaw !  What  did  I  care  for 
raw  knuckles,  as  with  a  pocketful  of  assorted  varieties  ol 
marbles  I  watched  eagerly  for  a  playmate,  and  as  soon  as 
one  appeared,  shouted,  "  First  for  keeps ! " 

In  those  days  I  thought  that  gambling  consisted  only 
in  playing  games  for  money. 

Four  hundred  years  before  the  first  incidents  occurred 
that  are  written  of  in  the  New  Testament,  old  Sakya-Muni 


Spring 


was  dead  and  buried,  but,  like  John  Brown,  his  spirit  keeps 
marching  on. 

Sakya-Muni  was  a  great  man,  but  I  doubt  if  any  of  my 
young  readers  would  like  him.  Mr.  Muni  founded  a  great 
religion,  but  he  was  narrow-minded.  Boys  in  those  days 
were  just  like  the  boys  of  this  day — they  were  fond  of  fun, 
fond  of  games,  and  they  made  little  windmills,  and  they 
enjoyed  seeing  the  wheels  buzz  in  the  breeze. 

Old  Sakya-Muni  thought  this  sinful  and  silly.  He  for- 
got that  he  was  ever  a  boy  himself,  so  he  forbade  windmills 
as  "detrimental  to  progress  in  virtue."  Sakya-Muni,  or 
Gautama  Buddha,  was  an  ancient  Puritan ;  he  was  down  on 
chess  or  checkers,  hop-scotch  he  abhorred,  jack-straws  to 
him  were  the  invention  of  the  evil  one,  ball  was  a  game  of 
perdition,  drawing  pictures,  blowing  horns,  racing,  archery, 
and  marbles,  were  equally  bad  and  forbidden  sins. 

There  are  many  estimable,  narrow-minded,  half-devel- 
oped people  of  to-day  who  think  just  as  Buddha  did  so 
long  ago,  but  fortunately  for  the  young  people  no  one  now 
takes  them  seriously. 

Sakya-Muni  had  no  intention  or  desire  to  be  of  assistance 
to  the  author  of  this  book.  No  doubt  if  the  old  pagan 
were  alive  he  would  forbid  its  publication,  but  nevertheless 
he  is  introduced  to  the  reader  because  his  denunciations 
of  these  games  prove  that  the  youngsters  of  his  day 
found  entertainment  in  the  same  games  that  occupy  the 
leisure  of  the  school-boys  at  the  close  of  the  nineteenth 
century. 

Not  many  years  ago  there  was  a  boy  named  Humphrey 
Potter,  who,  sad  to  relate,  in  spite  of  Mr.  Muni's  harangue 
against  games,  would  rather  play  marbles  than  work ;  but 
he  was  a  poor  boy,  and  he  would  rather  work  than  see 
his  parents  deprived  of  the  comforts  that  his  little  earnings 


Marbles 


could  procure.  Humphrey  was  only  a  boy ;  he  did  not 
know  anything.  Not  one  of  the  great  men  who  had  in- 
vented  the  awkward,  puffing  old  steam-engines  that  were 
used  in  those  days  would  have  condescended  to  consult 
Hump  In  regard  to  his  invention. 

The  poor  little  chap  had  to  sit  all  day  on  a  stick  of  wood 
for  a  stool,  and,  with  one  hand  on  the  steam-cock  and  the 
other  on  the  water-cock,  alternately  turn  on  steam  and 
water.  When  he  turned  on  the  steam  this  vapor  rushed 
into  the  cylinder  and  forced  a  heavy  piston  up ;  when  he 
turned  on  the  water,  that  fluid  rushed  in,  cooled  off  or  con- 
densed the  steam  and  down  came  the  piston.  So  that  with- 
out  a  boy  at  the  steam  and  water  cocks  this  great  invention 
of  full-grown  men  would  not  work. 

But  Hump  had  a  better  head  than  these  men,  and  the 
lad  wanted  to  play  marbles.  So  down  went  his  hand  into 
that  junk-shop  which  every  boy  has,  but  which  he  calls  his 
pocket,  and  out  came  a  piece  of  string — most  likely  it  was 
a  top-string — and  Hump  harnessed  up  the  piston  to  the 
valves. 

It  was  as  simple  as  falling  off  a  log.  The  piston  opened 
and  shut  the  valves  itself,  and  Humphrey  played  marbles 
and  drew  his  pay  at  the  same  time. 

Simple  as  falling  off  a  log,  but  like  many  things  it  was 
too  simple  for  a  man  to  think  of,  and  yet  simple  as  it  was 
Humphrey  Potter's  invention  lifted  the  steam-engine  from 
the  plane  of  a  clumsy  machine  chiefly  used  for  pumping 
purposes  to  the  higher  field  where  its  uses  are  so  manifold 
as  scarcely  to  be  numbered,  and  Humphrey  was  only  a  boy 
and  an  inveterate  marble-player  at  that. 

Boys,  when  you  hear  the  thunder  of  the  railroad  train, 
the  hum  of  the  factory  wheels,  or  the  whistle  of  the  big 
steam-boats,  rattle  the  marbles  in  your  pockets,  and  say, 


6  Spring 

11  Well,  if  it  were  not  for  one  of  us,  where  would  all  your 
wonderful  inventions  be,  you  great,  big,  bald-headed, 
bearded  boys  that  build  your  'cities  without  leaving  us 
room  for  a  Bull  Ring?" 

Terms  Used  in  the  Game. 

Before  going  any  farther,  I  might  as  well  give  the  mean- 
ings of  the  principal  terms  used  in  marbles — the  phrases 
which  mean  so  much  to  boys  and  so  little  to  those  who  are 
unfamiliar  with  them. 

The  Taw  or  Shooter,  is  the  marble  used  for  shooting. 

The  Taw  Line  or  Tie  Line,  or  Scratch,  as  it  is  often 
called,  is  the  line  drawn  for  a  starting-point  in  games  like 
the  Long  Ring. 

Ducks  are  the  marbles  to  be  shot  at. 

Dubs*  means  that  you  take  all  the  marbles  knocked  out 
of  the  ring  by  one  shot. 

Fen  Dubsf  means  that  you  must  put  back  all  but  one 
marble. 

Lofting"  means  shooting  through  the  air.  When  you  loft 
you  knuckle  down  and  your  taw  goes  through  the  air  and 
does  not  strike  the  ground  until  it  hits  the  duck  aimed  at, 
or  a  spot  near  it. 

Knuckling  down  means  what  the  name  implies,  resting 
the  knuckles  on  the  ground  during  the  act  of  shooting. 

Hunching  means  shoving  your  hand  over  the  mark  as 
you  shoot.  Hunching  is  unfair,  and  if  a  good  shot  is  made 
and  the  player  making  it  is  caught  in  the  act  of  hunching 
he  should  be  made  to  shoot  over  again  and  shoot  fair. 

Histing  is  holding  the  hand  some  distance  above  the 
ground.  Histing  is  not  allowable  in  the  Bull  Ring  or  in 
Meg-on-a-String. 

*  An  abbreviation  of  doubles.  t  An  abbreviation  of  defend  doubles. 


Marbles 


Roundsters  means  taking  a  new  position  on  one  side  or 
the  other  of  some  obstruction.  This  is  not  fair  in  Bull 
Ring. 

Sidings  means  to  move  your  taw  from  one  side  to  the 
other  in  a  straight  line  when  about  to  shoot,  and  is  not 
allowable  in  Bull  Ring. 

Burying  is  the  term  applied  to  the  act  of  placing  your 
taw  in  a  good  spot  and  then  forcing  it  into  the  ground  with 
the  heel  of  your  shoe.  Burying  is  sometimes  allowed  in  all 
games  of  marbles,  but  only  by  unskilled  players  ;  with  the 
others  "  Fen  buryings  "  is  the  unwritten  rule  of  the  game. 

Laying  in  is  similar  to  burying,  with  the  exception  that 
your  taw  is  left  on  top  of  the  ground.  This  is  also  a  "  baby" 
game  and  not  often  resorted  to.  "  Laying  in  "  also  means 
placing  the  marbles  in  the  ring. 

Clearances  means  removing  stones,  sticks,  or  other  ob- 
jects between  your  taw  and  the  ducks. 

Sneaking  is  the  act  of  shooting  for  a  position. 

Babying  is  shooting  with  little  force,  so  as  not  to  knock 
the  ducks  far  or  to  cause  your  taw  to  fly  far.  Babying  is 
not  of  much  use  in  large  rings,  but  is  often  resorted  to  in 
small  rings  and  in  such  games  as  Follerings.  There  is  no 
rule  that  can  make  you  stop  babying,  so  the  other  players 
always  try  ridicule.  This  never  succeeds  to  any  extent, 
though  it  eases  the  minds  of  the  unsuccessful  players  when 
another  boy  is  "  skinning  "  the  ring  by  babying. 

Playing  for  Keeps  is  a  game  in  which  all  the  ducks  won 
are  kept.  Playing  for  Fair  is  an  Eastern  term  with  the  same 
meaning,  and  for  Fun  means  of  course  that  all  the  marbles 
are  returned  to  their  original  owners  when  the  game  is 
over. 


8 


Spring 


The  Right  Spirit. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  gamble  with  marbles,  as  many  sup- 
pose, and  in  fact  there  is  little  doubt  that  the  game  was  first 
played  "  for  keeps  "  centuries  ago  when  pebbles  were  used 
for  marbles  and  the  pebbles  won  were  only  valued  as  tro- 
phies or  counters.  In  reality  a  marble  won  is  a  point  won 
in  the  game,  and  it  is  not  necessary  to  keep  the  marbles  after 
the  game  is  over,  any  more  than  it  is  necessary  to  keep  the 
balls  and  bats  of  the  defeated  base-ball  players  or  the  balls  and 
rackets  of  the  defeated  lawn-tennis  players  or  the  foot-ball 
of  the  defeated  foot-ball  players.  What  the  American  boy 
plays  for  is  to  win  the  game,  not  the  implements  of  the  sport. 
It  is  only  the  occasional  "  tough  "  who  manages  to  get 
into  the  game  who  has  the  real  instincts  of  the  gambler,  and 
he  is  the  boy  who  always  cries  "  grinder,"  and  "  snatches 
up  "  or  "  swipes  "  the  marbles  of  smaller  or  more  timid  lads. 
Such  a  boy  should  be  avoided  just  as  respectable  men  avoid 
the  gambler  and  black-leg. 

Knuckle  Dabsters. 

Every  boy  who  plays  marbles  should  possess  a  knuckle 
dabster ;  these  can  be  made  from  bits  of  soft  woollen  cloth, 


FIG.  i.— A  Quilted  "  Knuckle  Dabster.' 


FIG.  2.— Mole  Skin  "  Knuckle  Dabster." 


felt,  or  the  skin  of  small  animals.  Mole  skins  make  the  soft- 
est and  prettiest  of  knuckle  dabsters,  but  any  piece  of  fur 
will  answer.  Some  boys  wear  them  fastened  to  the  hand, 


Marbles 


9 


but  the  most  expert  players  seem  to  prefer  to  throw  them 
down  at  the  spot  from  which  they  are  about  to  shoot  and 
then  knuckle  down  on  the  soft  fur  or  woollen  cloth. 

A  knuckle  dabster  prevents  one's  knuckles  from  becom- 
ing sore  and  raw,  and  adds  greatly  to  the  comfort  of  the 
player. 

Your  sister,  mother,  aunt,  or  grandmother  can  in  a  few 
moments  stitch  two  pieces  of 
thick,  soft  cloth  together  for  you 
when  marble  time  arrives,  and  if 
they  will  add  to  this  favor  by 
making  you 


FIG.  3. — Mar- 
ble Bag. 


A  Marble  Bag 


FIG.  4.— Same 
with  Strings 
Drawn. 


with  strings  to  draw  the  mouth 

together,  you  are  ready  for  the 

season.     The  marble  bag  should 

be  small  enough  to  slip  into  your 

pocket,  where  it  will  prevent  the 

loss  of  many  marbles  that  might 

work  their  way  through  that  hole   that   is  always  to   be 

found  in  a  boy's  pocket  after  he  has  worn  his  clothes  for 

a  short  time. 

I  remember  how  I  used  to  plan  leather  and  buckskin 
pockets  that  would  not  wear  out,  and  I  made  up  my  mind 
'that  when  I  was  old  enough  to  make  money  and  buy  my 
own  clothes  the  tailor  should  be  instructed  to  put  in  leather 
pockets. 

Alas!  when  I  reached  that  age  it  took  so  much  cash  to 
buy  the  clothes  that  there  was  never  enough  in  the  pockets 
to  wear  them  out. 


io  Spring 


Whom  to  Play  Marbles  With. 

If  Little  Lord  Fauntleroy  had  been  born  in  a  Western 
town  his  life  would  not  have  been  worth  living.  He  was  a 
gentle  little  "  sissy  "  aristocrat,  who  would  never  have  been 
tolerated  by  the  "  Huck  "  Finns  and  Tom  Sawyers  inhabit- 
ing the  valleys  of  the  Mississippi  and  its  tributaries. 

Imagine,  if  you  can,  such  a  little  chap  wearing  the 
clothes  with  which  Mr.  Birch,  in  his  beautiful  illustrations, 
so  appropriately  dressed  him  ;  imagine  him  down  on  one 
knee,  with  his  girlish  hand  chapped  with  the  wind  and  the 
cracks  filled  with  grime,  knuckling  down  and  lofting  on  the 
ducks  in  the  middle  of  a  bull  ring,  or  with  doubled  fists 
standing  over  his  marbles,  defending  his  property  against 
some  young  highwayman  from  the  rolling  mill  on  the  river 
bank! 

As  the  New  York  boys  would  say,  "  He  wouldn't  be  in 
it."  No,  the  house  is  the  place  for  him.  This  is  a  rough 
world,  and  it  requires  experiences  outside  of  a  gentle,  lov- 
ing mother's  care  or  the  sweet  lady-like  tuition  of  a  gov- 
erness to  fit  a  lad  for  the  battle  of  life. 

What  we  want  for  a  playmate  is  a  fair  and  square  fellow, 
who  will  stand  by  a  friend  through  thick  and  thin,  and, 
without  being  quarrelsome,  defend  his  rights  and  never 
"  weaken."  It  is  unnecessary  to  say  that  such  a  lad's  love 
of  justice  will  always  prevent  him  from  imposing  upon 
smaller  boys  and  his  manliness  will  cause  him  to  treat  his 
companion  and  the  girls  with  courtesy.  You  need  not 
watch  him  in  any  game,  for  he  will  not  cheat.  Among  my 
old  schoolmates  I  have  known  many  such  fellows,  and,  to  a 
man,  they  are  all  good  fellows  now ;  good  citizens,  good 
fathers,  and  they  still  enjoy  watching  the  boys  play  the 
games  in  which  they  used  to  excel  themselves. 


Marbles  1 1 


How  Marbles  Were  First  Made. 

With  the  aid  of  frost  and  sun  nature  splits  the  rocks, 
dropping  the  fragments  into  the  water,  and  the  ever  mov- 
ing water  rolls  the  fragments  over  each  other  and  against 
other  stones  until  they  become  smooth  pebbles,  many  of 
which  are  almost  as  round  as  the  marbles  sold  in  stores. 
Away  back  before  history  was  written  the  children  used 
these  natural  marbles  to  play  with,  but  there  is  nothing  to 
tell  us  whether  they  used  a  "long  ring"  or  a  "  bull  ring," 
or  what  rules  governed  the  game. 

When  the  Tammany  Halls  of  Rome  and  the  citizens  in 
general  became  wicked  and  corrupt  it  made  nature  very  ill, 
and  she  broke  out  in  volcanoes.  While  the  terrible  fires 
from  the  bowels  of  the  earth  were  spouting  and  scattering 
their  ashes  and  lava  over  towns  and  cities,  Pompeii  was 
buried  with  all  its  streets  and  houses  and  with  some  of  its 
people  and  dogs.  Among  the  many  curious  things  found 
in  the  ruins  by  the  antiquarians  who  have  unearthed  the  old 
cities  were — what?  Marbles  left  by  the  boys  in  their  flight 
from  the  doomed  city,  and,  I  think,  if  the  truth  were 
known,  some  of  the  little  rascals  delayed  their  departure 
long  enough  to  secure  and  carry  away  with  them  their 
"  megs,"  as  the  New  York  boys  would  call  the  ancient  mar- 
bles. 

Marbles  in  America. 

One  hundred  and  twenty-eight  years  after  Columbus 
discovered  America,  and  when  many  of  the  ancestors  of 
this  generation  of  boys  could  call  themselves  Americans, 
the  Dutchmen  imported  marbles  to  England,  and  it  is  very 
probable  the  old  Knickerbockers  introduced  them  here,  but 
it  matters  little  who  had  the  honor  of  introducing  them  to 


1 2  Spring 

America.  They  came  to  stay,  and  now,  from  California  to 
Maine,  and  from  the  Calumet  and  Hecla  mines  at  Red 
Jacket,  Mich.,  to  New  Orleans,  the  boys  all  play  marbles. 

Made  Abroad  Nowadays. 

Where  do  they  all  come  from  ?  Some  of  you  win  them, 
some  of  you  trade  postage-stamps  for  them,  but  some  per- 
son  bought  them,  probably,  at  the  little  store  around  the 
corner. 

When  I  attended  the  Eighth  Street  District  School  in 
Cincinnati  we  used  to  replenish  our  stock  from  "  Ma- 
laney's."  I  do  not  recollect  the  real  name  of  the  proprie- 
tor of  the  little  store,  but  that  is  the  name  it  went  by  among 
the  boys.  There  we  bought  our  butterscotch  and  bull's- 
eye  candy  ;  our  match-sticks  for  kites,  our  elastic  bands  for 
slings,  our  tops  and  top-strings. 

Local  Names  of  Marbles. 

But  Malaney  must  have  secured  his  supply  from  some- 
where, because  I  know  he  did  not  make  them  himself,  and 
he  always  had  a  quantity  on  hand  of  "  potteries,"  "  plas- 
ters," "chinas,"  "crystals,"  "agates,"  "alleys,"  and  "com- 
mies." 

Atlantic  coast  boys  do  not  use  these  names,  but  they  use 
the  same  marbles.  We  had  a  tradition  that  the  potteries 
were  made  at  a  pottery  near  the  Brighton  Hotel  in  the 
suburbs  of  Cincinnati.  What  truth,  if  any,  there  is  in  this 
tradition  I  am  unable  to  state.  In  New  York  I  seldom  seb 
this  rich  brown  mottled  marble,  whose  glossy  surface  is 
marked  by  three  rough  dots. 

The  "crockery"  never  had  the  splashes  of  white  that 
distinguished  the  "  burned  agate  "  of  New  York,  nor  the 
green  of  the  "  moss  agate  "  of  the  same  place.  Both  of  the 


Marbles  13 


latter  were  unknown  to  the  Western  boys  twenty-five  years 
ago. 

At  the  beginning-  of  this  century  marbles  were  some- 
times called  "bowls,"  and  all  came  from  Nuremberg,  down 
the  Rhine  to  Rotterdam,  and  thence  to  all  other  parts  of 
Europe. 

How  Marbles  are  Made. 

They  are  now  manufactured  in  immense  quantities  in 
Saxony  for  exportation  to  the  United  States,  India,  and 
China.  The  common  marble  is  manufactured  of  hard  stone 
quarried  near  Coburg,  Saxony,  and  the  process  is  prac- 
tically the  same  as  that  used  by  nature  in  grinding  out  the 
little  round  pebbles  originally  used  by  the  children  of  long 
ago. 

Nature,  though  constantly  busy,  is  slow.  We  do  not 
want  to  wait  a  thousand  or  maybe  a  million  years  for  her  to 
get  our  marbles  ready.  Our  fingers  might  be  too  old  to 
shoot  with  them,  so  we  adopt  nature's  principles,  but  make 
more  haste.  In  place  of  frost  man  uses  a  hammer  to  break 
the  stone  into  fragments. 

The  hammer  breaks  the  hard  stone  into  small  squares, 
or,  more  properly,  cubical  shaped  blocks.  These  are  placed 
on  a  large  millstone  one  hundred  or  two  hundred  at  a  time. 
The  millstone  has  several  grooves  cut  in  it  in  the  form  of 
rings,  one  ring  inside  another,  or,  as  your  Geometry  would 
put  it,  in  the  form  of  concentric  circles.  Over  this  a  block 
of  oak  of  the  same  size  as  the  lower  stone  rests  on  the  small 
square  fragments  and  is  kept  turning  while  water  flows 
upon  the  bottom  stone. 

Power  is  supplied  by  a  water-wheel,  and  when  the 
machinery  is  set  in  motion  the  little  cubes  are  compelled, 
by  the  pressure  and  motion  of  the  upper  piece,  to  roll  over 
and  over  in  their  circular  tracks,  and  round  and  round  and 


14  Spring 


round  they  travel  like  circus  horses  in  a  ring.  In  fifteen 
minutes'  time  the  mill  does  what  nature  takes  years  to 
accomplish,  and  the  little  blocks  of  stone  are  turned  into 
small  stone  balls.  These  are  the  unfinished  marbles  and 
need  smoothing. 

One  such  mill  can  turn  out  two  thousand  marbles  a 
week,  and  if  there  are  four  or  five  sets  of  millstones  running, 
eight  thousand  or  ten  thousand  a  week  can  be  manufactured. 

In  another  part  of  the  establishment  the  water-wheel  turns 
a  number  of  wooden  barrel-shaped  receptacles,  something 
like  the  copper  ones  used  for  making  candy  in  this  country. 
Inside  the  wooden  casks  are  hard  stone  cylinders.  These 
revolving  cylinders  smooth  the  marbles,  which  are  com- 
pelled by  the  motion  of  the  machinery  to  keep  up  a  con- 
stant rubbing  against  each  other  and  against  the  stone 
cylinder.  When  they  are  smooth  enough  the  dust  made 
by  the  last  process  is  emptied  from  the  casks  and  fine 
emery  powder  substituted.  This  gives  finish  and  polish  to 
.the  marble. 

Common  Marbles. 

The  small,  gray  marbles  are  what  the  Western  boys 
call  "  commies "  or  "  combos."  They  are  often  painted 
bright  colors,  but  the  paint  soon  wears  off  and  they  look 
like  little  dried  clay  balls.  They  are  not  much  valued, 
and  five  "  commies "  usually  represent  the  value  of  one 
"  plaster." 

The  Century  Dictionary  gives  an  "  alley "  as  one  of 
the  definitions  of  a  marble.  On  what  ground  it  bases 
this  information  I  am  unable  to  state.  "  Agate,"  "  meg," 
"duck"  or  "real"  would  be  just  as  good  a  definition. 
"  Meg  "  or  "  duck  "  would  be  better,  inasmuch  as,  in  dif- 
ferent sections  of  the  country,  both  of  these  terms  are 


Marbles  15 


used  to  define  marbles  of  any  description;  while  "alley" 
in  almost  all  parts  of  the  country  means  a  particular  kind 
of  marble. 

The  Alley. 

In  some  parts  of  Ohio  and  Kentucky  the  marble  desig- 
nated by  the  latter  name  is  a  small,  hard  sphere  with  a 
yellowish  -  white  ground,  streaked  with  wavy  lines  of 
bluish  green.  These  are  not  the  same  as  the  "  Croton 
alley  "or  ''Jasper"  of  New  York.  The  latter,  I  believe, 
are  made  of  glazed  and  unglazed  china  marbled  with  blue, 
and  are  generally  larger  marbles  than  the  so-called  alleys  of 
the  West. 

The  China  and  Plaster. 

In  Cincinnati  and  the  adjoining  cities  of  Covington 
and  Newport,  Ky.,  a  china  is  what  its  name  implies — china. 
This  term,  when  I  was  a  boy,  was  used  only  to  designate 
a  glazed  china  ;  the  unglazed  ones  we  called  plasters,  from 
their  resemblance  to  that  substance. 

Both  of  the  latter  marbles  are  decorated  with  lines  of 
various  colors,  sometimes  crossing  each  other,  forming 
plaids,  and  again  arranged  in  circles  and  called  bull's  eyes. 
They  are  made  in  wooden  molds  and  are  dried,  baked,  and 
painted  like  any  other  chinaware. 

The  Bumbo  and  Peawec. 

"  Bumbo,"  "  bumboozer  "  or  "  bowler  "  are  names  applied 
to  very  large  marbles  of  any  description.  A  "  peawee  "  is 
the  name  used  for  any  very  small  marble. 

Crystals 

is  a  general  name  applied  in  many  parts  of  the  country  to  all 
glass  marbles,  including  "  opals,"  "  glimmers,"  "  bloods," 
"  rubies,"  etc.  They  are  all  very  beautiful,  but  their  beauty 


1 6  Spring 


is  only  skin  deep,  and  when  used  much  they  become  dull 
and  full  of  nicks.  Some  of  these  glass  marbles  are  called 
"  agates "  in  the  East,  and  hence  the  genuine  agate  is 
called  a  "  real,"  to  distinguish  it  from  the  counterfeit  glass 
one.  Glass  marbles  are  made  by  melting  the  glass  and 
pressing  the  hot  substance  in  polished  metal  molds,  the 
halves  of  which  fit  so  neatly  that  no  trace  of  a  seam  or 
line  is  visible  on  the  glass  to  mark  where  the  parts  of  the 
mold  join. 

The  "  Lucky  Taw." 

Our  lucky  taw,  or  the  marble  we  used  when  a  skilful 
shot  was  required,  was  carefully  selected  for  its  weight  and 
symmetry,  and  was  generally  an  agate  or  real.  Agates  are 
beautiful  gems  of  agate  or  carnelian,  varying  in  color  from 
a  smoky  gray  to  a  blood  red,  or  variegated  with  mottlings 
or  stripes  of  different  colors.  Agates  are  made  into  mar- 
bles at  Oberstein.  The  workmen  are  very  skilful.  The 
stone  is  first  broken  into  fragments  of  the  proper  size,  and 
then,  by  means  of  a  hammer,  clipped  into  rude  balls ;  these 
balls  are  then  worn  down  on  the  face  of  a 
large  grindstone,  and  are  managed  with 
great  dexterity  by  the  workmen,  who  in 
a  few  minutes  bring  them  into  perfect 
spheres,  after  which  they  are  polished  by 
hand  on  lapidary  wheels. 

Cunny  Thumb  or  Scrumpy  Knuckled. 

If  Little  Lord  Fauntleroy  played  mar- 
bles, any  boy  could  tell  you  how  he  would 
FlG'ThumbC"nny      S^oot.     He   would   hold   his   hand   verti- 
cally, place  his  taw  or  shooter  against  his 
thumb-nail  and  his  first  finger.     He  would  shoot  "  cunny 
thumb  style,"  or  "  scrumpy  knuckled."     The  thumb  would 


Marbles 


flip  out  weakly  (Fig.  5),  and  the  marble  would  roll  on  its 
way. 

Tom  Sawyer  would  lay  the  back  of  his  fist  on  the 
ground  or  on  his  mole-skin  "  knuckle  dabster,"  hold  his  taw 
between  the  first  and  second  joints 
of  the  second  finger  and  the  first 
joint  of  the  thumb,  the  three  small- 
er fingers  closed  and  the  first  finger 
partially  open  (Fig.  6).  From  this 
animated  ballista  the  marble  would 
shoot  through  the  air  for  four  or  five  feet,  alighting  on  one 
of  the  ducks  in  the  middle  of  the  ring,  sending  it  flying 
outside,  while  the  taw  would  spin  in  the  spot  vacated  by 
the  duck.  Tom  or  Huck  Finn  would  display  as  much 
skill  with  his  taw  as  an  expert  billiard  player  would  with 
the  ivory  balls. 


FIG.  6.— As  Tom  Would  Shoot. 


FIG.  7.— Western  Reserve  and  New  York.       FlG.  8.— Another  and  Better  Style. 

A  Southern  Way. 

Down  in  Dixie  I  have  frequently  seen  grown  men,  white 
and  black,  playing  marbles,  and  one  or  two  of  the  expert 
players  held  their  taw  on  their  second  finger,  holding  the 
second  finger  back  with  their  thumb;  then  suddenly  re- 
moving the  thumb  and  straightening  out  the  finger,  they 
sent  the  marble,  like  a  bullet,  straight  to  the  mark.  This 
manner  of  shooting  must  require  much  practice,  and  I 
doubt  if  it  is  more  accurate  than  the  one  just  described  as 
Tom's  method.  Some  boys,  skilful  in  the  game,  squeeze 


1 8  Spring 


the  marble  they  shoot  with  between  the  thumb  and  the 
forefinger,  wetting  it  with  their  mouth  to  make  it  slip 
quickly. 

The  Arabian  Way  of  Shooting. 

The  dark-faced  little  Arabs  have  a  curious  manner  of 
shooting.  They  place  their  taw  in  the  hollow  between  the 
middle  and  the  forefinger  of  the  left  hand,  the  hand  being 
flat  on  the  ground  with  the  fingers  closed.  The  forefinger 
of  the  right  hand  is  then  pressed  firmly  on  the  end  joint  ol 
the  middle  finger,  which  pushes  the  middle  finger  suddenly 
aside,  and  the  forefinger  slips  out  with  sufficient  force  to 
propel  the  shooter  very  accurately. 

There  are  innumerable  games  of  marbles  in  vogue  in 
different  sections  of  the  country.  I  have  watched  the  boys 
play  in  every  State  east  of  the  Mississippi  River,  and  be- 
tween  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  and  the  Great  Northern  Lakes, 
and  will  describe  the  most  popular  games. 


CHAPTER  II 

"FAT"  AND   OTHER   FAMOUS  GAMES  OF  MAR- 
BLES. 

The  Uncertainties  of  "  Fat,"  Sometimes  Called  "  Yank  "  or  "  Yankey  " 
— Stand-up  Marbles — Follerings— Knucks,  the  Long  Ring,  and  Pat- 
terson—The Scientific  Bull  Ring— Duck  in  a  Hole, 

Fat. 

MAKE  a  ring  that  will  measure  a  foot  and  a  half  or  two 
feet  across  the  centre.  Then  draw  a  straight  line  through 
the  centre  from  top  to  bottom,  and  another  straight  line 
from  right  to  left  at  right  angles  to  the  first  through  the 
centre  of  the  ring,  thus  dividing  it  into  quarters  (Fig.  9). 

Each  player  lays  in  a  duck,  that  is,  puts  a  marble  in  the 
ring.  Where  only  two  play,  place  one  duck  on  the  right 
and  the  other  on  the  left  hand  side  of  the  ring.  If  four 
boys  play,  place  a  marble  at  the  end  of  each  cross  line,  and 
if  more  boys  are  in  the  game  put  the  marbles  around  the 
ring,  one  for  each  player. 

Beginning  the  Game. 

About  ten  feet  away  from  the  ring  scratch  a  taw  or  tie 
line  to  shoot  from.  Here  the  first  player  places  his  knuckle 
dabster,  knuckles  down  and  shoots  at  the  marbles.  If  he  is 
a  good  marksman  and  knocks  a  marble  out  of  the  ring  he 
shoots  again  from  the  spot  where  his  taw  or  shooter  rests 


20 


Spring 


and  so  continues  to  shoot  until  he  makes  a  miss,  pocketing 
all  the  ducks  he  knocks  out.     When  he  has  failed  to  hit  and 

knock  out  a  marble,  his  turn 
is  over  and  he  must  allow 
his  shooter  to  lie  where  V 
rolled. 


Number  Two's  Play. 

Number  two  now  takes  his 
turn.  Knuckling  down  at  the 
taw  line,  he  shoots  as  number 
one  did,  or  if  number  one's 
taw  is  within  range,  he  shoots 
at  that,  and  if  he  is  fortunate 
or  skilful  enough  to  hit  num- 
ber one's  taw,  then  number 
one  must  hand  over  to  num- 
ber two  all  the  ducks  he  (num- 
ber one)  has  knocked  out  of 
the  ring.  If  number  two's 
luck  still  continues  and  he  is 
able  to  hit  number  one's  taw 
again,  then  number  one  is 
considered  "  killed,"  that  is, 
he  must  put  his  taw  in  his 
pocket  and  quit  playing  until 
another  game  is  started. 

When  number  two  misses, 
number  three  knuckles  down 
FIG.  9.— Fat  Ring.  at  the  taw  line  and  shoots  at 

the  ducks  in  the  ring,  or  at  his 
opponent's  taw,  if  that  marble  is  within  range. 


TAW  LINE. 


"Fat"  and  Other  Famous  Games         21 

"  Killing." 

When  only  two  boys  are  playing  if  one  "  kills  "  the  other, 
of  course  the  killer  wins  the  game,  and  more  ducks  are  laid 
in  and  a  new  game  started.  The  first  man  killed  is  the  last 
to  shoot  in  the  next  game,  and  the  second  man  killed  is  next 
to  the  last  to  shoot,  etc.  In  some  sections  of  the  country 
when  three  boys  are  playing  the  third  boy  is  required  al- 
ways to  shoot  his  taw  across  the  ring,  whether  he  shoots  at 
the  other  taws  or  at  the  ducks. 

The  Uncertainties  of  "Yank." 

It  will  not  take  a  beginner  in  this  game  long  to  learn 
that  his  safety  lies  in  keeping  his  own  taw  as  far  as  possible 
away  from  his  neighbors',  and  when  he  shoots  in  their  direc- 
tion he  will  shoot  hard.  One  player  may  secure  all  the 
ducks  but  one  and  then  miss,  and  the  next  player  by  strik- 
ing the  first's  taw  compel  him  to  turn  over  to  him  all  the 
ducks  he  has  knocked  out. 

It  does  not  require  much  wit  to  see  that  there  is  more  to 
be  gained  by  shooting  at  your  neighbor's  taw  if  the  neigh- 
bor has  been  lucky  than  there  is  shooting  at  the  one  lone 
duck  in  the  ring. 

It  sometimes  takes  good  players  a  half,  three  quarters,  or 
a  full  hour  to  finish  one  game.  Often  two  or  three  unlucky 
players  will  combine  against  a  lucky  one  and  peg  away  at 
the  lucky  one's  taw  until  he  is  compelled  to  give  up  the 
ducks  he  has  knocked  out.  Another  way  to  play  this  game 
is  to  make  the  player  whose  taw  is  hit  replace  in  the  ring  all 
the  marbles  he  has  previously  succeeded  in  knocking  out. 

Stand-up   Marbles. 

There  is  no  skill  required  in  this  game,  and  the  only  ex- 
cuse for  its  existence  is  that  the  rapid  growth  of  our  big 
cities  has  had  the  effect  of  so  covering  the  boys' play-grounds 


22  Spring 


with  buildings  and  other  obstructions  that  the  boys  are 
compelled  to  adopt  such  games  as  they  can  play  under  the 
existing  conditions.  So  "  Stand-up  Megs "  has  become 
popular  in  many  places. 

Make  a  two-foot  ring  about  six  inches  from  a  convenient 
house  or  fence.  Use  a  "  bum  boozer  "  for  a  taw  and  stand 
at  the  taw  line  about  six  feet  from  the  ring.  Hold  up  your 
taw  and  take  aim  with  your  right  eye,  and  shoot  by  hunch- 
ing at  the  marbles  in  the  ring.  If  you  miss,  pick  up  your 
big  taw  and  let  the  next  boy  shoot.  If  any  one  knocks  one 
or  more  ducks  out,  he  continues  to  shoot  until  he  fails. 
Each  boy  takes  his  turn  until  all  the  ducks  are  knocked  out 
of  the  ring.  Another  way  to  play  the  game  is  to  make  a 
hole  in  the  ground  and  place  a  duck  for  each  player  in  the 
hole,  then  standing  at  the  taw  mark  the  players  with  their 
"  bowlers  "  or  "  bumboozers  "  shoot  as  already  described. 
If  a  player's  taw  or  shooter  fails  to  knock  out  any  megs  and 
remains  in  the  hole,  then  he  must  put  in  as  many  ducks 
as  "  are  up  "  before  he  is  allowed  to  remove  his  taw. 

"  Follerings,"  or  Followings, 

is  a  travelling  game,  generally  played  by  the  boys  on 
their  way  to  school,  or  often,  I  am  afraid,  when  they  are 
sent  on  errands  by  their  mothers.  Although  this  game  is 
a  travelling  game  it  is  unnecessary  to  say  that  it  does  not 
lend  haste  to  the  traveller.  In  fact,  it  must  be  acknowl- 
edged that  more  speed  can  be  made  by  a  boy  on  an  errand 
if  he  omits  to  play  the  game  on  his  way. 

The  rules  of  "Follering"  are  simple.  "  First "  shoots 
his  marble  in  the  direction  he  wants  to  travel,  and  "  Second" 
shoots  his  marble  at  the  "  First's  "  taw.  Thus  they  shoot 
each  in  turn  until  one  boy  is  lucky  enough  to  hit  his  oppo- 
nent's taw.  That  means  a  duck  for  the  fortunate  one,  or 


"  Fat  "  and  Other  Famous  Games        23 

else  a  point  in  the  game  and  another  shot  at  his  opponent's 
marble.  He  continues  to  shoot  until  he  misses,  and  so  the 
game  goes  on. 

"  Everything,'*  and  "  Fen  everything !  "  are  the  cries  in 
this  game.  If  one  player  before  he  shoots  cries  "  Every- 
thing "  before  his  opponent  can  cry  "  Fen  everything," 
then  the  shooter  may  "  hist,"  that  is,  as  already  explained, 
hold  his  marble  up  and  shoot,  or  he  may  remove  a  brick, 
can,  old  shoe,  or  whatever  object  accident  may  place  be- 
tween him  and  his  opponent's  marble,  or  he  may  take 
"  roundsters,"  going  one  side  or  the  other  of  any  object  that 
may  be  in  the  way.  But  he  cannot  go  any  nearer  the 
other  boy's  marble  than  his  first  position.  If,  however, 
the  other  player  cries  "  Fen  everything ! "  first,  then 
the  shooter  must  knuckle  down  and  make  the  best  of  it. 

The  Art  of  Babying. 

If  one  player  hits  his  opponent's  taw  and  knocks  it  into 
a  gully,  a  hole,  or  the  gutter  and  his  own  taw  does  not  fly 
far  away,  he  shouts  "  Everything  ! "  if  possible  before  the 
other  player  can  say  "  Fen,"  and  then  he  commences  a  series 
of  soft,  easy  shots,  each  of  which  counts  just  the  same  as  a 
long,  difficult  one.  With  care  a  good  shot  can  baby  away 
until  his  opponent  shouts  himself  hoarse  with  cries  of  "  Fen 
babying  !  Fen  everything  !  Fen  histing  !  Fen  roundsters ! 
Knuckle  down."  To  all  these  cries  the  player  pays  no  at- 
tention, but  continues  to  shoot  until  he  carelessly  makes 
a  miss.  Then  the  other  player  has  his  revenge  and  babies 
away,  to  the  great  discomfort  of  his  opponent. 

Follerings  starts  where  the  two  lads  meet  and  lasts 
until  the  school-house  or  some  other  objective  point  is 
reached.  It  can  be  played  almost  anywhere,  and  is  quite 
exciting  enough  to  meet  the  approval  of  most  boys. 


Spring 


Knucks. 

This  is  a  game  of  give  and  take.  One  boy,  called 
"knucks,"  places  a  small  marble  between  his  knuckles  and 
rests  his  hand  on  the  ground.  The  other  player  knuckles 
down  at  the  taw  line  four  or  five  feet  away  and  shoots  at 
the  marble  between  the  fingers  of  his  playmate.  It  is  cus- 
tomary to  knuckle  down  and  loft,  or  shoot  through  the  air, 
and  not  bowl  along  the  ground.  The  taw  marble  or 
shooter  used  is  of  medium  size.  Every  time  the  marble  in 
"  knucks'  "  hand  is  hit  it  counts  one  ;  every  time  "  knucks' " 


FIG.  la— A  Game  of  Knucks. 

knuckles  are  hit  it  gives  "knucks"  a  shot  at  the  first 
shooter. 

Suppose  that  it  is  agreed  that  each  player  should  have 
three  shots,  and  there  are  two  in  the  game.  Number  one 
shoots  three  times,  hits  the  marble  once,  and  the  knuckles 
twice.  Then  number  one  wins  one  count,  and  number  two, 
who  has  been  "  knucks,"  takes  his  three  shots,  and  two 
shots  to  pay  for  the  two  raps  he  had  on  his  knuckles. 
That  makes  five  shots  he  has  at  number  one. 

Unless  number  two  is  an  expert  he  is  going  to  hit 
number  one's  knuckles  a  number  of  times  in  his  five  shots, 
but  number  one  grins  and  bears  it,  as  he  knows  that  the 
rules  of  the  game  will  give  him  satisfaction.  There  is  no 


"  Fat "  and  Other  Famous  Games 


end  to  this  game,  and  it  only  stops  when  both  boys  agree 
that  their  knuckles  demand  a  rest. 

If  one  boy  is  a  good  player  and  the  other  a  poor  one 
the  good  player  wins  the  most  points,  but  the  bad  player 
makes  the  other's  knuckles  suffer  for  their  skill. 

The  Long  Ring. 

About  eight  feet  beyond  the  taw  line, 
make  a  ring  composed  of  two  parts  of  a 
circle  crossing  each  other  at  the  ends  (Fig. 
n),  a  fish-shaped  ring  with  its  head  toward 
taw  line.  Draw  a  straight  line  through 
the  centre  of  the  long  ring  to  lay  the  mar- 
bles on.  If  only  two  boys  are  playing  and 
each  lays  in  a  duck,  one  marble  should  be 
at  each  end  of  the  ring.  If  more  than  two 
play,  or  if  more  than  one  duck  apiece  is 
laid  in,  then  they  should  be  placed  along 
the  line  in  the  centre  of  the  ring. 

When  number  one  shoots,  if  there  are 
only  two  marbles  he  generally  "  sneaks," 
that  is,  he  bowls,  as  some  call  it,  or  shoots 
his  marble  with  just  sufficient  force  to 
cause  his  taw  to  roll  slowly  along  and  come 
to  a  rest  as  near  as  possible  one  of  the 
marbles  in  the  ring. 

In  doing  this  number  one  runs  the  risk 
of  being  killed  by  number  two,  whose  turn 

it  now  is  to  shoot,  and  if  there  are  only    — 

two  in  the  game,  and    number   two  kills     FlG-  "•— The  Lons 
number  one,  this  gives  the  game  to.  num- 
ber two,  but  if  there  are  more  in  the  game  it  puts  number 
one  out,  and  number  two  has  another  shot  at  the  ducks  in 


26  Spring 


the  ring,  and  continues  to  shoot  until  he  misses.  Then 
number  three  shoots,  or  if  number  one  is  not  dead,  and  only 
two  are  playing,  number  one  shoots  from  the  spot  where 
his  taw  lies. 

Any  player  can  sneak  whenever  he  thinks  he  dare  r;sk 
it.  Of  course  a  sneak  is  a  shot  and  he  must  run  the  chance 
of  being  killed  ;  but  if  he  is  killed  he  can,  when  his  turn 
comes  around,  lay  in  as  many  ducks  as  he  did  at  first,  and 
then  placing  another  duck  near  the  taw  line,  knuckle  down 
and  shoot,  hitting  the  near  duck  on  one  side  so  as  to  cause 
his  taw  or  shooter  to  fly  down  toward  the  ring.  It  often 
happens  that  in  this  way  he  can  make  up  for  what  points  he 
lost  by  being  killed.  If  he  makes  a  miss  he  leaves  his  taw 
where  it  rests,  and  the  next  player  takes  his  turn. 

Patterson. 

This  game  is  played  like  "  Fat,"  previously  described, 
and  often  goes  by  that  name,  but  in  place  of  the  round  ring 
used  in  real  Fat  the  Patterson  boys  use  the  taw  line  and  the 
oblong  or  fish-shaped  ring  of  the  Long  Ring  game.  The 
principal  difference  between  Long  Ring  and  Patterson  is 
that  you  must  hit  your  opponent's  taw  twice  to  kill  him,  and 
he  cannot  come  to  life  again  by  laying  in  when  his  turn 
comes  and  shooting  at  a  duck  near  the  taw  line.  The  first 
time  you  hit  his  taw  you  win  all  the  points  he  may  have 
made,  the  second  time  you  strike  his  taw  you  put  him  out 
of  the  game  and  there  is  one  less  to  fight  against ;  hence 
there  is  not  much  sneaking  in  Patterson. 

Gambling  Games. 

"  Sports  "  among  boys  may  frequently  be  seen  trying  to 
entice  other  boys  to  pay  a  stated  number  of  marbles  a  shot 
at  a  notched  and  numbered  shingle.  The  "  sport  "  holds  the 


"Fat"  and  Other  Famotis  Games        27 

shingle  with  his  hand  and  rests  the  edge  with  the  notches  in 
it  on  the  ground,  while  the  player  shoots  from  taw  at  the 
notch  with  the  biggest  number.  He  seldom  goes  through, 
but  if  he  succeeds,  the  "  sport "  pays  him  back  as  many 
marbles  as  are  designated  by  the  number  over  the  notch  his 
marble  went  through.  This  is  a  great  game  for  cheating  ; 
a  slight  movement  of  the  shingle  from  one  side  to  the  other 
will  make  the  best  shot  miss,  and,  like  all  gambling  games, 
create  ill  feeling,  and  frequently  the  game  is  only  decided 
by  the  fists  of  the  players. 

The  Bull  Ring. 

One  of  the  really  scientific  games  is  the  old-fashioned  Bull 
Ring,  which  is  from  four  to  ten  feet  in  diameter.  The 
ducks  are  placed  a  few  inches  apart  on  a  cross  scratched  in 
the  middle  of  the  ring.  The  number  of  ducks  varies  ac- 
cording to  how  many  "  a  whack,"  or  how  many  "  up  "  or  to 
"  lay  in  "  may  be  agreed  upon.  If  four  or  five  boys  are  in 
the  game,  "  one  up  "  makes  a  nice  pot  of  ducks  to  shoot  at. 

If  but  two  boys  are  playing  they  sometimes  lay  in  three, 
four,  or  even  more  ducks  apiece,  according  to  their  wealth. 
The  boy  who  cries  "  First "  soonest  is  accorded  the  first 
shot,  and  the  others  in  their  order.  In  case  of  dispute  they 
"  lag  "  for  turn.  Each  player  knuckles  down  and  shoots  for 
the  opposite  side  of  the  ring,  and  their  turns  come  in  the 
order  of  their  success ;  the  nearest  first  and  the  most  dis- 
tant last. 

Of  course  the  object  of  the  game  is  to  knock  out  all  the 
ducks  if  possible.  Sometimes  the  first  player,  by  a  combi- 
nation of  luck  and  skill,  will  "  skin  the  ring  "  before  the 
others  have  had  a  shot.  The  first  player  knuckles  down 
and  lofts  at  the  ducks  in  the  middle  of  the  ring.  If  he 
strikes  one  properly,  his  taw  should  stand  or  spin  in  place  of 


28 


Spring 


the  fleeing  duck.  The  duck  must  reach  or  pass  the  line  that 
makes  the  ring  to  be  out  and  pocketed  by  the  player,  who 
now  shoots  from  the  place  where  his  taw  stands. 

Sometimes  his  shooter  will  fly  out  of  the  ring,  but  if  the 
duck  is  knocked  out  he  continues  to  shoot,  again  knuckling 
down  on  the  ring.  In  case  he  misses  one  shot,  number 
two  takes  his  turn.  Whenever  a  slip  is  made  or  a  hit  fails 
to  knock  the  duck  from  the  ring  and  the  shooter  comes  to 


FIG.  12. — A  Game  in  a  Bull  Ring. 

rest  inside  the  bull  ring,  it  must  remain  where  it  is  until  the 
player's  turn  comes  again  or  until  the  shooter  is  knocked 
out  by  one  of  the  other  players.  If  the  shooter  or  taw  in 
the  ring  is  knocked  out  by  another  player's  taw,  the  owner 
of  the  latter  is  out  of  the  game,  or  killed,  and  there  is  one 
less  to  fight  against.  The  player  who  knocks  the  taw  out 
not  only  has  another  shot,  but  is  entitled  to  pick  one  of  the 
ducks  from  the  ring  as  a  reward  for  his  luck.  He  continues 
to  shoot  until  he  misses. 

In  case  two  or  more  ducks  are  knocked  out  at  one  shot, 
if  the  player  succeeds  in  crying  "  Dubs  !  "  before  the  others 


"  Fat "  and  Other  Famous  Games        29 

cry  "  Fen  dubs  ! "  he  is  entitled  to  all  he  knocks  out,  other- 
wise he  must  replace  all  but  one  marble,  but  continue  to 
shoot  until  he  fails  to  knock  out  a  duck.  If  a  player  is 
caught  "  hunching,"  that  is,  shoving  his  fist  beyond  the  ring 
while  shooting,  and  makes  a  lucky  hit,  he  must  replace  the 
marble  and  shoot  over  again.  "  Histings "  and  the  use  of 
"  bowlers"  are  debarred  in  the  bull  ring. 

Sneaking  or  Dribbling. 

Sneaking  is  allowed ;  that  is,  shooting  the  taw  slowly, 
so  that  it  will  stop  in  or  near  the  centre.  This  counts  as  a 
turn,  and  the  marble  is  allowed  to  rest  there  until  the  sneak- 
er's  turn  comes  round  again,  in  which  case,  if  he  has  not 
been  killed  by  some  other  player,  he  shoots  from  the  spot 
occupied  by  his  taw. 

If  a  dead  man's  turn  comes  around  and  there  are  enough 
ducks  in  the  ring  to  warrant  the  risk,  the  dead  man  may 
re-enter  by  laying  in  the  middle  twice  as  many  ducks  as  the 
game  required  at  first  and  placing  still  another  duck  near 
the  edge  of  the  ring  to  carom  on.  He  shoots  at  the  carom 
duck  with  the  hopes  of  knocking  it  out  and  flying  in  the 
centre,  where,  if  he  is  "  any  good  "  he  will  "  skin  the  ring." 
Often  the  dead  man  is  unsuccessful  and  the  game  goes  on. 

Duck-in-a-Hole. 

This  game  is  played  with  three  shallow  holes  in  a  line  at 
right  angles  with  a  taw  line  which  should  be  about  ten  feet 
distant  from  the  first  hole.  The  holes  are  three  feet  apart. 
The  object  of  each  player  is  to  shoot  his  marble  so  that  it 
will  go  in  and  remain  in  the  first  hole.  If  successful  in  this 
he  is  allowed  to  place  his  thumb  on  the  edge  of  the  first 
hole,  and  using  his  hand  as  a  pair  of  dividers,  by  a  twist  of 


30  Spring 

the  wrist  he  describes,  that  is,  traces  with  the  ends  of  his  fin- 
gers, a  curved  line  on  the  ground. 

This  is  called  taking  a  span,  and  the  player  then  knuckles 
down  on  the  span  line  and  shoots  for  the  second  hole.  Tak- 
ing another  span  he  shoots  for  the  third,  and  if  successful 
he  now  takes  a  span  back  toward  the  middle  hole  and  shoots 
for  that.  If  he  again  succeeds  he  takes  a  span  and  shoots 
for  the  first  hole,  and  if  he  fails  not  in  this  he  is  a  "  duck  " 
and  can  take  two  spans  from  the  spot  where  his  marble 
lies  every  time  he  shoots.  When  he  has  gone  forward  and 
backward  twice  he  is  allowed  three  spans,  and  when  he  has 
gone  backward  and  forward  three  times  he  is  a  "  King 
Duck  "  and  can  take  four  spans. 

If  the  first  player  misses  the  first  hole,  player  number 
two  shoots.  If  number  two's  marble  rolls  in  the  first  hole 
and  stays  there  he  looks  around  for  the  first  player's  taw, 
and  when  he  discovers  it,  if  he  feels  certain  he  can  hit  it, 
he  takes  a  span,  knuckles  down  and  cracks  away  at  number 
one's  taw.  If  he  hits  it  he  places  his  own  marble  in  the  sec- 
ond hole  and  proceeds  to  try  for  the  next  until  he  misses. 
Then  the  next  player  tries  his  luck. 

When  number  one's  turn  comes  around  again  he  shoots 
for  the  first  hole,  knuckling  down  on  the  spot  to  which 
number  two  knocked  his  (number  one's)  taw. 

King  Duck. 

Each  player  strives  to  be  King  Duck  first.  Each  time 
one  player  hits  another  player's  taw  the  lucky  player 
counts  one  point,  and  the  one  hit  loses  a  point. 

When  one  player  is  King  Duck  it  is  hard  on  the  others, 
because  as  soon  as  they  miss  a  hole  he  is  on  them.  For  his 
four  spans  from  the  nearest  hole  will  almost  always  bring 
him  within  short  shooting  distance  of  any  marble  that  has 


"Fat"  and  Other  Famous  Games        31 

missed  a  hole,  and  when  he  hits  that  marble  he  generally 
manages  to  hit  it  hard  enough  to  send  it  flying. 

By  the  time  three  boys  have  won  the  title  of  King  Duck 
the  game  is  over.  At  the  advent  of  the  second  King  Duck 
the  first  monarch  divides  with  him  and  gives  him  one  of 
the  end  holes  to  command,  and  he  keeps  the  other  two. 
When  the  third  man  is  King  the  first  King  assigns  him  the 
remaining  end  hole  and  retains  command  of  the  middle 
hole,  but  by  this  time  the  boys  are  ready  to  stop  for  a  rest 
Each  time  a  player  hits  a  marble  it  counts  one  point,  and 
the  game  may  be  for  ten  points  or  ten  thousand  points. 

Meg-in-a-Hole 

differs  from  the  preceding  game  of  Duck-in-a-Hole,  first, 
in  the  fact  that  there  is  no  taw  line.  The  first  player 
shoots  from  one  end  hole  at  the  middle  hole.  After  he  suc- 
ceeds in  shooting  into  the  middle  hole  he  is  entitled  to  a 
span,  but  he  has  no  more  than  a  span  until  he  is  King, 
having  gone  backward  and  forward  three  times. 

The  King  can  take  one  foot  (his  own  foot  for  a  measure) 
and  a  span  from  the  first  hole,  two  feet  and  a  span  from  the 
second  hole,  and  three  feet  and  a  span  from  the  third  hole 
before  shooting  at  any  other  player's  marble  that  has  made 
a  miss. 

This  gives  the  King  great  power,  and  it  is  hard  to 
escape  him.  It  often  happens  that  the  King  knocks  the 
other  marbles  fifteen  or  more  feet  away  from  their  holes, 
and  it  is  no  easy  matter  for  the  unfortunate  player  to  ap- 
proach the  holes  again. 

If  a  second  player  wins  the  title  of  King,  the  first  King 
assigns  him  the  first  hole  to  guard,  because  there  is  less 
shooting  for  it,  for  the  players  only  go  in  it  three  times, 
while  they  go  six  times  in  the  middle  hole.  The  third  hole 


32  Spring 


is  next  best  to  the  middle,  or,  as  I  heard  one  boy  put  it, 
njxt  worse  to  the  first  hole."  If  a  player  misses  it  and  a 
1  ing  is  loafing  around,  the  player  does  not  stand  much 
chance  of  getting  near  it  again.  When  all  have  become 
Kings  the  game  is  over. 

Meg-on-a-String. 

This  is  a  game  of  skill,  and  at  this  day  finds  little  favor. 
The  boys  seem  to  prefer  the  less  skilful  and  ruder  games, 
such  as  Stand-up  marbles,  a  game  I  notice  the  lads  playing 
under  the  lamp-posts  after  dark  ;  and  so  primitive  has  the 
sport  become  in  the  great  cities,  that  in  place  of  the  beautiful 
agate  for  a  taw  these  boys  use  stones,  which  they  hold  up  to 
one  eye,  then  pitch  at  a  group  of  shamefaced  marbles  hud- 
dled together  in  a  hole  in  the  ground. 

But  Meg-on-a-String  requires  a  higher  sort  of  skill  to 
play,  and  the  successful  player  must  be  a  good  shot  at  fair 
knuckling-down  shooting. 

In  a  crack  in  a  friendly  fence  a  small  stick  is  so  thrust 
that  its  free  end  is  about  three  feet  outside  the  fence  line. 
From  near  the  end  of  the  stick  threads  are  hung  about 
three  inches  apart,  and  on  the  ends  of  the  threads  are 
small  lumps  of  shoemaker's  wax.  By  pressing  the  wax 
against  a  small  alley,  commie,  crystal,  china,  plaster,  or 
agate,  the  marbles  will  adhere  and  swing  from  the  ends  of 
the  threads.  The  latter  should  be  so  adjusted  that  the 
marbles  clear  the  ground  by  an  inch  or  two. 

There  is  no  ring  in  this  game,  but  a  taw  line  is  scratched 
about  four  feet  from  the  meg  stick,  and  a  marble  for  each 
player  hangs  from  the  stick.  It  is  all  knuckling  down  and 
lofting  in  this  game,  and  the  swinging  marbles  are  kept  in 
motion,  it  being  against  the  rules  for  any  boy  to  shoot  at 
a  stationary  duck.  He  is  only  allowed  to  wait  until  the 


"  Fat  "  and  Other  Famous  Games        33 

marbles  cease  to  strike  against  each  other,  then  he  most 
shoot. 

When  the  first  player  misses,  the  second  player  shoots.'  -, 
If  the  first  player's  taw  is  within  reach  he  may  shoot  at 
that,  and  if  he  hits  it  then  the  owner  of  the  unlucky  taw 
is  dead  and  out  of  the  game,  and  the  boy  who  killed  him 
has  another  shot  at  the  swinging  marbles,  or  if  there  are 
only  two  players,  he  wins  the  game. 

What    Counts. 

To  make  a  successful  hit  it  is  deemed  necessary  to 
knock  the  swinging  duck  off  the  string,  otherwise  the 
shot  does  not  count.  When  a  player's  taw  is  too  near  the 
fence  he  can  cry  "  Sidings,"  and  move  to  one  side  far 
enough  to  enable  him  to  shoot  with  comfort.  But  if  the 
other  boys  cry  "  Fen  Sidings  "  before  he  cries  "  Sidings," 
then  the  player  must  make  the  best  of  his  ill  luck  and 
shoot.  It  is  allowable  to  sneak,  that  is,  to  shoot  with  so 
little  force  that  your  taw  will  only  roll  to  the  spot  near  the 
swinging  marbles  and  rest  there,  but  a  sneaker  always 
runs  the  risk  of  being  killed  and  put  out  of  the  game  by 
the  next  in  turn. 

"  Dubs  "  and  "  Fen  dubs,"  "  Sidings  "  and  "  Fen  sidings  " 
are  all  the  cries  in  this  game,  because  the  rules  of  the 
game  are  "  Fen  histings,"  "  Fen  clearances,"  "  Fen,  fen  every- 
thing," except  sidings  and  dubs,  and  it  is  even  fen  to  these 
if  a  player  shouts  the  word  in  time. 

The  reader  can  readily  see  that  no  bad  shot  at  marbles 
need  try  this  game  with  any  hope  of  success,  but  to  the 
real  sportsmen  among  the  boys  the  game  will  be  popular. 
Old  players  try  to  get  a  position  flanking  the  swinging 
ducks,  as  this  position  has  a  double  advantage.  First,  if 
the  player  misses  the  first  marble,  he  is  liable  to  hit  one  of 
3 


34  Spring 


the  others,  and  second,  as  it  is  necessary  to  loft  and  shoot 
hard  in  order  to  knock  a  marble  off  the  string,  if  he  misses 
his  taw  he  strikes  against  the  fence  and  bounds  back  to 
practically  the  same  position  he  shot  from,  in  place  of 
hurtling  off  ten  or  twelve  feet,  or  away  or  back  over  the 
taw  line. 

For  over  two  thousand  years  boys  have  been  playing 
marbles,  and  have  developed  some  really  scientific  games, 
which  much  older  people  might  play  without  loss  of 
dignity.  But  since  the  game  is  confined  practically  to  the 
youngsters,  it  behooves  them  to  see  to  it  that  the  noble  and 
ancient  games  of  marbles  are  not  degraded  into  shingle 
gambling  boards  and  pitch  rock. 

Injun,  Block,  or  Square  Ring. 

After  reading  over  the  preceding  description  of  mar- 
ble games  to  a  young  Brooklyn  friend  of  mine,  he  exclaimed, 
"  Well !  You  have  left  out  Block.  We  play  Block  in  Brook- 
lyn." 

Now  it  is  .  ot  the  intention  of  the  author  to  slight  Brook- 
lyn  in  this  book,  and  a  game  that  they  can  play  there  must 
be  adapted  to  any  large  city.  Block  is  played  with  a  square 
ring,  if  we  may  be  allowed  to  call  a  square  a  ring,  and  the 
ring  is  quartered  as  it  is  in  Fat,  a  game  to  which  Block  is 
akin.  As  in  Fat,  the  marbles  are  laid  in  on  the  intersections 
of  the  cross  lines,  but  the  taw  line  is  about  thirty  feet  away. 

This  game  is  sometimes  called  Injun,  a  corruption  of  Ind- 
ian, probably  because  the  game  is  a  game  of  extermina- 
tion. For,  in  order  to  win,  you  must  kill  all  the  other 
players.  Hence,  you  can  see  that  "  First "  plays  at  a  disad- 
vantage, there  being  no  one  for  him  to  kill ;  if  he  knocks 
out  a  duck  he  must  replace  it.  If  a  taw  stops  inside  the 
ring,  that  is  a  fatal  shot,  for  he  has  killed  himself  and  is  out 


"  Fat  "  and  Other  Famous  Games        35 


of  the  game.  So  when  the 
first  player  shoots  he  does  not 
knuckle  down,  but  toes  the  taw 
line  and  tosses  his  taw  for  a 
good  position  near  the  ring. 

For  good  and  sufficient 
reasons  the  second  player  has 
no  desire  to  get  near  the  first, 
so  he  throws  his  marble  with 
sufficient  force  to  send  it 
through  the  ring  out  of  reach 
of  First,  hoping  that  his  taw 
may  be  fortunate  enough  to 
knock  out  a  duck  on  its  way. 
Because  if  number  two  knocks 
out  a  duck,  he  can,  before  re- 
placing the  duck,  go  back  to 
taw  and  holding  the  duck  in 
his  left  hand  shoot  his  taw 
with  his  right  so  that  it  will 
strike  on  the  top  or  side  of  the 
duck  and  fly  off  near  First's 
taw,  which  he  may  then  hit 
and  kill. 

If  number  two  misses  the 
duck,  number  three  pitches  his 
marble  off  to  one  side,  and 
thus  the  game  goes  on,  each 
boy  doing  his  best  to  guard 
his  own  taw  and  to  hit  and  kill 
his  neighbor's  taw,  knocking 


TAW  LINE. 


FIG.  13.— The  Block  or  Square  Ring. 


out  ducks   when   the   opportunity  comes  for  the  sake  of 
the  privilege  of  going  back  to  taw  and  making  a  flying 


Spring 


shot  from  the  duck  to  the  neighborhood  of  his  playmate's 

marble. 

At  the  end  of  the  game  the  same  number  of  ducks  of 

course  remain  in  the  ring 
that  were  placed  there.  If 
any  player  misses  the  duck 
that  he  is  trying  to  make 
a  fly  shot  on  he  loses  his 
turn,  and  has  the  mortifi- 
cation of  seeing  his  taw 
roll  dangerously  near  an 
opponent,  where  he  must 
allow  it  to  remain  and  run 
the  chance  of  being  killed. 
When  all  but  one  are  killed 
the  survivor  is  "  Big  In- 
jun "  and  has  won  the 
game.  A  similar  game  is 
played  in  other  places  with 
the  moon  ring  (Fig.  14). 

There  are  numerous 
other  games  played  in  the 
cities  which  are  the  out- 
growth of  the  cramped 
spaces  the  boys  have  for 

FIG.  14. — The  Moon  Ring. 

play-grounds,  but  as  they 

differ  in  different  cities  and  also  in  different  parts  of  the 
same  city  and  are  only  modifications  of  the  games  given 
here,  they  will  be  omitted. 


TAW   LINE. 


FIG.  15.— Top  Time  in  the  City.    A  Game  of  Plug  in  the  Ring  on  the  Housetop. 


CHAPTER    III 
TOP  TIME 

Whip  Tops  —  Home-made  Tops  — Peg  Tops— Plug  in  the  Ring— Chip 
Stone  —  Racing  Tops. 

THERE  is  no  doubt  about  it — boys  are  the  most  con- 
servative people  in  the  world.  Nations  have  been  born, 
grown  great,  and  died,  leaving  only  mouldering  ruins  to  tell 
of  their  former  grandeur,  but  when  those  nations  were 
young,  boys  were  whipping  tops,  and  to-day  boys  are  be- 
laboring their  tops  with  a  lash  of  soiled  rags  with  as  much 
vigor  and  enthusiasm  as  if  the  latter  were  newly  discovered 
toys. 

In  fact  the  boys  are  more  enthusiastic  than  they  would 
be  over  a  new  toy.  No  game  or  toy  is  considered  re- 
spectable unless  its  ancestry  is  lost  in  the  murky  atmos- 


38  Spring 


phere  that  covers  the  pre-historic  past.  Ever  since  I  can 
remember  each  season  has  brought  forth  some  novelty  in 
tops,  but  the  whip-top  and  the  peg-top  still  hold  their  own 
and  the  novelties  are  lost  and  forgotten. 

In  the  house,  an  American  boy  will  occasionally  conde- 
scend to  spin  a  musical  top  or  a  whistling  or  humming  top 
to  amuse  his  little  sister,  but  he  never  thinks  of  taking 
such  toys  on  the  play-ground  or  in  the  street  to  spin  before 
his  comrades  and  school-fellows. 

With  all  these  facts  before  me  I  dare  not  propose  a 
new  style  of  top  or  suggest  a  new  game,  because  both 
would  go  to  the  land  of  useless  toys,  a  land  grown-up 
men  spend  time  and  labor  to  supply  with  toys  which  boys 
will  not  use  and  games  which  boys  will  not  play.  I  say  a 
land  for  lack  of  a  better  name.  No  one  knows  what 
becomes  of  all  the  wonderful  inventions  for  boys  that  boys 
do  not  want  unless  they  go  to  a  place  where  very  bad 
boys  go  who  are  compelled  to  play  these  new-fangled 
games  and  spin  these  wonderful  tops  as  a  punishment  for 
sins  committed  in  this  glorious  world,  where  good  boys 
have  the  old  reliable  peg-top  and  its  even  more  ancient 
brother,  the  whip-top. 

Home-made  Tops. 

As  for  home-made  tops,  those  made  of  a  spool  are  the 
favorites,  and  are  usually  made  to  spin  by  a  twist  of  the 
finger  and  thumb.  To  make  one  it  is  only  necessary  to 
whittle  a  stick  to  a  diameter  a  trifle  greater  than  the  hole 
in  the  spool,  and  hammer  it  in  so  that  a  part  of  the  stick 
will  protrude  at  both  ends.  Then  whittle  off  one  of  the 
flanges  of  the  spool,  and  bring  the  stick  at  that  end  to  a 
point  for  a  peg.  Cut  off  all  but  about  an  inch  of  the  stick 
from  the  other  end,  and  your  spool  top  is  finished. 


Top  Time 


39 


A  boy  that  I  had  in  my  studio  made  a  top  with  an  old 
tin  blacking-box  and  some  lead  pipe,  which  he  melted  and 
poured  into  the  mould.  When  it  was  cool  he  had  a  flat 
leaden  disk.  But  first  he  took  a  wooden  spool,  and  cut  off 
one  flange  and  whittled  the  end  to  a  blunt  point.  Next  he 
cut  a  hole  in  the  blacking-box,  so  that  the  spool  could  be 
forced  in,  and  made  to  stick  there. 


FIGS.  16,  17  and  18. 


FIGS.  19  and  20. 


FIGS,  si  and  22. 


CONSTRUCTION  OF  HOMK-MADB  TOPS. 

FIGS.  16,  17,  18,  19,  and  22  show  construction  of  slack-rope  dancing  top ;  x  and  y, 
Figs.  20  and  21,  show  parts  of  top  with  double  peg.  FIG.  22  is  a  top  with  a  solid 
peg  for  spinning  on  the  table. 

I  asked  him  what  sort  of  top  he  was  making,  and  he 
replied,  "  A  slack-rope  dancer." 

This  proved  to  be  the  case,  for  he  made  a  peg  for 
the  top  with  a  notch  in  one  end,  and  he  spun  the  top  for 
me  on  a  string  for  a  slack  rope.  Figs.  16,  17,  18,  and  19 
show  the  construction  of  this  ingenious  toy. 

Afterward  he  made  another  somewhat  similar  top  with 
a  movable  stick  and  fixed  peg,  spun  it,  removed  the  stick, 
and  inserted  pieces  of  bent  wire,  which,  when  the  latter 


4o  Spring 


were  whirled  around,  looked  like  glass  goblets,  vases,  and 
various  other  objects. 

The  materials  are  cheap,  and  the  labor  light,  in  making 
this  top.  Try  it ! 

Plug  in  the  Ring. 

The  "  plugger  "  is  the  top  you  spin,  the  "  bait  "  is  the 
top  or  tops  you  try  to  strike  with  your  "  plugger." 

A  top  is  "asleep  "  when  it  stands  perfectly  erect  and  ap- 
parently motionless  while  spinning.  A  "  gigler  "  is  a  top 
that  goes  dancing  and  hopping  about.  "  A  dead  top  "  is 
one  that  has  ceased  to  spin ;  all  bait  tops  are  necessarily 
dead  tops. 

Boys  use  as  much  care  in  selecting  their  pegger  or 
plugger  as  they  do  in  choosing  their  taw  or  shooter  in 
marbles.  Some  prefer  a  rather  long  spindle  top,  others  a 
short,  heavy  boxwood  plugger.  All  tops  should  have  screw 
pegs,  for  these  are  rarely  driven  up  through  the  top  so  as 
to  split  them.  Besides,  the  screw  top  is  not  so  apt  to  drop 
out  as  the  common  ringed  peg. 

Get  a  Good  String. 

As  a  rule,  I  think,  the  string  sold  for  top  string  in  New 
York  is  too  light.  A  cord  half  as  thick  again  gives  better 
results. 

Select  for  a  string  a  rather  heavy  cotton  cord,  about  a 
yard  long.  At  one  end  fasten  a  wooden  button  mould,  or, 
better  still,  an  old  bone  button.  About  an  inch  and  a  half 
from  the  other  end  tie  a  hard  knot  in  the  string  and  allow 
the  end  to  fray  out  below  the  knot  (see  Figure  23).  Wet 
the  end  of  the  string  and  plaster  it  diagonally  up  the  side 
of  the  top.  Then  wind  tightly  until  the  string  covers  the 
bottom  nearly  to  the  top  of  the  top,  leaving  enough  string 


Top  Time 


to  wrap  around  the  hand.  Slip  the  string  between  the  first 
and  second  fingers,  so  that  the  button  fits  on  the  outside  of 
the  hand ;  then  wind  the  slack  around  the  hand  until  the 
top  fits  tightly,  with  the  big 
end  grasped  by  the  first  fin- 
ger bending  over  it.  The 
peg  should  rest  on  the 
outside  of  the  thumb  be- 
tween the  first  and  second 
joints. 

To  spin  the  top,  raise 
your  hand  above  and  back 
of  your  head  (see  second 
boy,  Fig.  15) ;  bring  it  down 
forcibly  and  throw  the  top 
six  or  eight  feet  in  front  of 
you  (see  third  boy,  Fig.  15). 
Don't  jerk  back.  If  you 
have  made  a  proper  throw 
the  top  will  spin  "  for  all  it 

FIG.  23.— Winding  a  Top. 

is  worth." 

Now  for  the  game :  Mark  out  a  bull  ring  about  six  feet 
in  diameter  and  in  the  centre  mark  a  smaller  ring  about  a 
foot  in  diameter.  Put  as  many  tops  in  the  centre  as  there 
are  players,  and  toss  up  for  first  shot  or  decide  your  turns 
in  any  manner  you  may  agree  upon.  Many  boys  play  with- 
out turns,  each  spinning  his  top  as  soon  as  he  can  wind  it. 

The  first  player  winds  up  his  plugger  with  care  and 
grasps  it  firmly  in  his  hand,  then  with  his  left  toe  on  the  out- 
side ring  he  tries  to  hit  the  tops  in  the  centre.  If  he  misses 
and  fails  to  spin,  or  if  he  strikes  outside  of  the  centre  circle, 
he  must  put  another  top  in  the  middle  and  await  his  next 
turn.  If  he  strikes  the  tops  with  the  big  end  of  his  plugger 


42  Spring 

it  counts  a  miss,  and  all  he  knocks  out  must  be  replaced ; 
but  if  the  peg  of  his  plugger  strikes  a  top  and  sends  it  out 
of  the  little  centre  ring  he  pockets  the  bait  top  and  spins 
or  plugs  again. 

If  his  plugger  strikes  in  the  small  ring  and  spins  there, 
and  by  knocking  against  the  tops  knocks  them  out,  it  is 
called  a  hit — he  wins  the  tops  knocked  out  and  has  another 
turn.  A  good  player  will  sometimes  spin  his  plugger  in 
the  small  ring  and  fail  to  knock  out  any  tops.  In  this  case 
the  player  must  allow  his  top  to  stop  spinning  before  he 
touches  it,  and  if,  when  it  tires  out,  or  "  dies,"  as  the  boys 
call  it,  it  fails  to  roll  out  of  the  ring,  he  must  place  another 
top  in  the  centre. 

A  Great  Honor. 

Good  players  will  often  split  one  of  the  tops  in  the  middle 
ring  by  the  force  and  accuracy  with  which  their  plugger's 
peg  strikes  the  "  bait.'*  This  is  considered  a  great  honor, 
but,  of  course,  it  ruins  the  bait  top. 

You  cannot  play  Plug  in  the  Ring  until  you  learn  to 
hold  and  throw  a  top  as  described  above.  The  baby  man- 
ner of  spinning  by  jerking  back  the  string  is  never  ac- 
curate and  has  not  enough  force  to  split  a  pea.  Neither 
must  you  hold  your  top  like  a  girl,  with  the  greater  part 
under  the  forefinger  and  the  peg  sticking  into  the  ball  of 
the  thumb. 

I  have  frequently  seen  this  game  played  "  for  keeps," 
but  the  bait  was  composed  of  toothless,  battered  wrecks  of 
tops  that  had  no  other  value  than  as  trophies  of  victory. 
The  proper  game  is  to  use  the  bait  you  win  as  marks  or 
scores,  and  after  the  game  is  finished  return  them  to  their 
proper  owners.  The  object  of  the  game  is  not  to  win  tops, 
but  to  derive  pleasure  from  a  test  of  skill. 


Top   Time  43 


Chip  Stone. 

In  the  gravel-pit  or  somewhere  along  the  river,  creek, 
lake,  or  sea-shore  may  be  found  disk-shaped  stones  called 
"  skippers  "  or  "  sailors,"  because  the  boys  can  make  them 
sail  through  the  air  or  skip  over  the  surface  of  the  water. 
These  stones  are  used  for  counters  in  the  game  of  Chip 
Stone.  The  pure  white  or  semi-transparent  skippers,  about 
the  size  of  an  old-fashioned  copper  cent,  are  the  kind  se- 
lected. 

A  bull  ring  about  five  feet  in  diameter  is  made  on  the 
ground,  or  two  taw  lines  about  five  feet  apart  are  drawn  on 
the  sidewalk,  and  each  boy,  as  in  marbles,  "  lays  in "  a 
counter.  If  the  game  is  on  the  sidewalk  the  skippers  are 
placed  in  a  row  between  the  two  taw  lines.  If  in  a  bull 
ring  the  stones  are  placed  in  a  small  circle  in  the  centre  of 
the  ring. 

In  turn  each  player  spins  his  top  and  plugs  at  the 
skippers  in  the  ring  or  between  the  taw  lines ;  if  his  top 
fails  to  spin  he  "lays  in  "  another  skipper. 

If  his  top  "  dies,"  that  is,  stops  spinning  inside  the  ring, 
he  "  lays  in "  another  stone.  But  if  his  top  spins  as  it 
should  he  takes  it  up  on  a  little  wooden  shovel  and  drops 
it  so  that  the  peg  hits  the  edge  of  a  counter;  he  con- 
tinues to  scoop  up  and  drop  the  top  so  long  as  it  will 
spin,  or  until  it  has  knocked  a  counter  over  the  taw  line 
or  outside  the  ring,  in  which  case,  as  in  marbles,  he  has 
another  turn. 

Chip  Stone  is  really  a  game  of  marbles  in  which  sailors 
or  skippers  are  used  for  ducks  and  tops  are  used  for  taws. 
Of  course  each  boy  takes  great  pride  in  his  collection  of 
trophies,  each  of  which  he  considers  as  a  medal  won  by 
his  *up«n<?r  skill  as  a  top  spinner.  No  clumsy,  awkward 


44  Spring 

top  spinner  can  hope  to  have  many  sailors  in  his  pocket 
unless  he  hunts  them  in  the  gravel-pit  in  place  of  com- 
peting for  them  at  the  bull  ring  or  between  the  taw  lines. 

Fig.  24  shows  the  wooden  shovel  or  spoon  which  each 
player  should  make  for  himself  with  his  own  pocket-knife. 
Sweet  smelling  red  cedar  is  the  choice  wood,  but  almost 
any  other  kind  will  answer. 

Whip-Tops— Eel-skin  Whips  the  Best. 
As  a  rule  boys  use  old  rags  for  their  whips.    These  soon 
become  very  much  soiled  and  look  untidy,    but  the  real 


FIG.  24.— The  Wooden  Chip  Stone  Shovel. 

sportsman,  be  he  man  or  boy,  takes  great  pride  in  his 
guns,  fish-rods,  skates,  golf-sticks,  or  top-whips ;  and  such 
boys  prefer  for  a  top-whip  an  eel-skin  fastened  to  a  short 
wooden  handle. 

Country  boys  catch  their  own  eels,  city  boys  get  the 
skins  at  the  fish  market. 

A  whip-top  can  be  made  of  any  sort  of  wood,  and  in  place 
of  a  peg  a  brass  hollow-headed  furniture-tack  is  driven 
into  the  point  where  the  peg  of  an  ordinary  top  is  located. 


Top   Time  45 


To  Spin  the  Top. 

Put  your  whip  under  your  left  arm  and  take  the  top  in 
your  right  hand,  and  grasping  it  with  your  thumb  and 
second  finger  give  it  a  smart  twirl.  If  this  is  skilfully 
done  the  top  will  spin  long  enough  for  you  to  grasp  the 
handle  of  your  eel-skin  whip  and  give  it  a  lash,  striking 
outward  and  drawing  the  whip  toward  you  at  the  end 
of  the  stroke. 

Fighting  Tops. 

At  the  word  "  Go  ! "  two  boys  spin  their  tops  and  then 
thrash  the  poor  things  until  they  bump  together.  The  top 
that  knocks  its  opponent  out  of  the  bull  ring  in  which  they 
are  spun  is  the  King  Top.  It  is  considered  a  foul  for  one 
boy  to  strike  his  opponent's  top  with  his  whip  or  in  any  way 
interfere  with  it  except  by  guiding  his  own  top  in  the  path 
of  the  other.  A  top  that  stops  spinning  is  beaten,  not  with 
the  whip,  but  by  the  other  top  that  keeps  alive. 

Racing  Tops. 

Two  taw  lines  are  drawn  on  the  hard  ground  or  side- 
walk, and  at  the  word  "  Go ! "  all  the  boys  in  the  game  spin 
their  tops  and  belabor  them  with  might  and  main,  endeav- 
oring at  the  same  time  to  compel  them  to  travel  over  the 
space  between  the  taw  lines  before  their  opponents  can 
cover  the  distance.  It  requires  no  little  skill  to  drive  a 
successful  race. 

Whipping  tops,  like  most  of  the  favorite  games  of  boys, 
is  a  very  old  sport.  The  little  boys  in  Old  Testament  times 
played  the  game  just  as  you  are  playing  it  now.  West  of 
the  Allegheny  Mountains  the  whip-top  is  not  as  often  seen 
as  in  the  neighborhood  of  New  York  City. 


FIG.  25.— Kite  Time. 

Though  marble  time  can't  always  last, 
Though  time  for  spinning  tops  is  past, 
The  winds  of  March  blow  kite  time  here, 
And  April  fools'  day,  too,  draws  near. 


CHAPTER   IV 
LATEST  THINGS  IN  KITES 

For  Practical  Uses  —  Steering  Kites  —  Life  Savers  —  Men  Lifters  and 
Other  Novel  Forms— Kites  as  Motive  Power — The  Malay  Variety. 

KITE  time  begins  with  March,  or  used  to  when  the  writer 
was  a  boy,  in  Cincinnati.  Even  the  blustering  March  wind 
must  be  weaker  in  the  Ohio  River  Valley  than  here  on  the 
coast.  If  some  one  had  imported  an  ordinary  New  York 
kite  into  Ohio  and  shown  it  to  the  boys  there  they  would 
have  told  him  to  go  and  get  a  shingle  and  it  would  fly 
better,  but  now  the  author  must  modify  his  judgment  and 
admit  that  the  heavy  sticks  and  apparently  careless  pasting 


Latest  Things  in  Kites 


47 


on  the  Atlantic-coast  kites  are  necessary  to  give  them 
strength  to  brave  the  gales  from  off  the  ocean.  In  place  of 
the  twine  used  in  New  York  we  flew  our  kites  with  cotton 
thread,  and  it  was  only  an  extra  large  kite  that  required 
white  cotton  string.  The  dainty  tissue-paper  covered  kite, 
with  its  framework  of  delicate  match  sticks  that  is  used  in 
the  interior  of  our  country,  would  be  wrecked  by  the  first 
blast  of  the  boisterous  March  wind  on  the  coast. 

Grave  professors  and  men  of  dry  scientific  minds  often 
take  to  boys'  sports  in  a  heavy,  ponderous  fashion,  and  try 
to  demonstrate  some  pet  theory  of  their  own  by  means  of 
the  boys'  playthings.  Old  Ben  Franklin  did  not  think  it 
beneath  his  dignity  to  fly  a  kite.  Had  Benjamin  consulted 
the  modern  Ameri- 
can boy  he  would 
have  been  told  not 
to  use  the  European 
bow  kite,  but  to  take 
the  coffin-shaped  or 
American  hexagon- 
al kite  for  his  experi- 
ment, or  one  of  the 
tailless  kites  that 
have  lately  become 
so  popular  with 
grown-up  scientific 
kite  flyers. 

Kites  for  Practical 
Uses. 

The  engineers 
who  constructed  the 
first  bridge  across 


FIG.  26.— The  Inevitable  Bow  Kite.  Sticks  are  Rep- 
resented by  Thick  Lines.  Strings  are  Represented 
by  Thin  Lines.  Where  the  Paper  is  Folded  and 
Pasted  the  Edges  are  Represented  by  Dotted 
Lines. 


48 


Spring 


Niagara  River  did  not  refuse  to  accept  as  a  means  of  com- 
munication  between  the  shores  a  line  placed  there  by  a  kite. 
Sixty  years  ago  an  Englishman  by  the  name  of  Ward  sug- 
gested the  use  of  a  kite  as  a  means  of  establishing  commu- 
nication between  vessels  wrecked  upon  the  off-lying  rocks 
of  a  lee  shore  and  the  mainland.  Being  an  Englishman,  he 
selected,  of  course,  the  inevitable  bow  kite  (Fig.  26),  with 
its  tail  festooned  with  bunches  of  paper  in  the  manner 
made  respectable  by  ages  of  use. 

I  give  his  method  because  it  may  be  of  use  to  boys  in 
accomplishing  some  other  object,  such  as  stretching  a  home- 
made telephone  line  across  the  intervening  space  between 

two  big  apartment  houses, 
or  across  a  river  or  lake  in 
the  country,  or  for  a  thou- 
sand other  purposes  dear  to 
a  boy. 

The  Pulley  and  Weight 
Kite. 

Mr.  Ward's  method  of 
using  a  kite  as  a  means  of 
suspending  and  conveying 
a  line  ashore  is  as  follows : 

At  a  short  distance  be- 
low the  kite's  bellyband, 
attach  to  the  kite-string  a 
loop  and  suspend  from  the 
loop  a  pulley  light  enough 
in  weight  not  to  impede  the 
flight  of  the  Weight  and 
Pulley  Kite.  Over  this  pulley  pass  a  second  string  and  fas- 
ten the  weight  to  the  end,  the  other  end  of  the  string  being 


FIG.  27.— The  Pulley  and  Weight  Kite. 


Latest  Things  in  Kites  49 

aboard  the  ship.  When  the  kite  has  sailed  through  the 
storm  until  it  floats  over  the  land,  no  more  line  is  given  out, 
and  the  kite  becomes  a  stationary  point,  from  which  the 
weight  attached  to  the  end  of  the  line  is  allowed  to  drop, 
and  thus  form  a  communication  between  the  ship  and  the 
shore.  In  an  experiment  made  by  the  inventor,  the  kite 
was  found  to  fly  best  with  the  weight  hung  at  least  ten 
yards  below  the  kite.  (See  Fig.  27.) 

In  1893  the  New  York  underwriters  took  to  flying  im- 
mense star  kites  covered  with  oil-cloth.  These  kites  had 
two  bellybands  and  two  strings  to  guide  or  steer  the  kites 
by,  and  tails  of  jute,  with  a  life  buoys  attached. 

The  two-stringed  star  kite  is  an  invention  of  Professor 
J.  Woodbridge  Davis  of  New  York.  (See  Fig.  29.) 

Steering  Kites. 

Seven  years  ago  the  professor  began  to  experiment  in 
flying  kites,  and  being  displeased  with  the  stationary  posi- 
tion ordinarily  assumed  by  them,  and  not  satisfied  with  the 
wig-waggle  of  the  short-tailed  or  the  darting  of  the  light- 
tailed  variety,  which  imparts  so  much  excitement  to  the 
young  novice,  he  added  two  bellybands  and  two  strings,  by 
means  of  which  after  a  little  practice  he  was  able  to  steer 
his  kite  around  the  sky  and  make  it  perform  all  manner  of 
queer  and  absurd  antics,  to  the  great  delight  of  the  small 
boys. 

It  is  said  that  the  professor  became  so  proficient  with 
his  kite  that  he  could  make  it  cut  out  letters  in  the  sky, 
dance  and  dive,  and  do  other  marvellous  things.  He  also 
found  that  he  could  make  it  go  off  the  wind  many  degrees. 
In  speaking  of  what  he  could  now  make  the  kite  do,  he 
said  it  would  not  sail  upon  the  wind  as  the  Vigilant  and 
Valkyrie  did,  but  it  could  make  some  very  remarkable  tacks. 


50  Spring 

Driving  a  Kite  Attached  to  a  Wagon. 

A  couple  of  his  pupils  last  summer  took  a  carriage  ride 
on  the  shore  of  Long  Island,  in  the  vicinity  of  Arverne, 
and  the  nag  they  drove  was  a  star-shaped  kite,  seven  feet 
in  diameter. 

These  two  young  men  conceived  the  idea  of  propelling 
a  wagon  by  means  of  one  of  these  kites.  They  arranged 
a  four-wheeled  vehicle  with  a  platform,  placing  a  seat  in  the 


FIG.  28.— Wagon  Attached  to  Kite.        FIG.  29.— The  Double  Belly-Banded  Kite. 

rear,  in  front  of  which  is  a  long  box  wherein  to  place  one's 
feet,  so  that  the  weight  can  be  as  low  as  possible.  The 
arrangement  allows  one  plenty  of  room  to  manipulate 
the  cord  of  each  windlass  by  means  of  a  crank  and  a  brake. 
The  other  passenger  sits  on  a  little  more  elevated  seat  near 
the  front,  where  he  can  work  a  sort  of  brake,  the  shaft  of 
which  is  connected  with  a  simple  device  for  steering  the 
front  wheels.  The  wheels  are  all  the  same  size,  three  feet 
four  inches,  and  are  strongly  made.  The  tray  is  four  feet 
eight  inches. 


Latest  Things  in  Kites  51 

A  favorable  breeze  sent  up  the  kite,  and  soon  the  wagon 
was  following  the  new  motor  along  the  beach.  By  being 
able  to  steer  the  kite  to  right  or  left  they  were  enabled  to 
follow  the  line  of  the  shore. 

If  any  of  the  readers  of  this  book  are  ambitious  to  make 
an  experiment,  they  had  better  try  a  small  hand  wagon 
with  a  much  smaller  kite  for  motive  power  (Fig.  28). 
Kites  will  pull  a  wagon,  as  has  been  demonstrated  many 
times,  and  if  the  kite  can  be  steered  then  the  greatest  diffi- 
culty is  overcome. 

Why  not  Use  a  Sled? 

Attached  to  a  sled  in  winter  time  such  a  kite  would 
afford  royal  sport,  and  something  entirely  new.  There 
are  many  places  where  a  sled  could  be  used  on  the  smooth 
snow  or  ice  that  would  be  impracticable  for  any  kind  of  a 
wagon. 

Keeled  Buoys  Towed  by  Kites  near  New  York  City. 

Boys!  Keep  your  eyes  on  Bayonne,  New  Jersey. 
There  appears  to  be  a  nest  of  inveterate  kite-fliers  there. 
First  we  hear  of  one  thing  and  then  of  another  in  the 
kite  line,  and  each  time  some  man  from  Bayonne  is  mixed 
up  in  it,  or  at  least  he  is  at  one  end  of  the  line. 

Lately  Mr.  Eddy  has  been  experimenting  with  Professor 
J.  Woodbridge  Davis's  keeled  kite  buoy.  The  buoy  here 
referred  to  is  a  float,  not  a  boy,  as  the  old  song  has  it : 

"  Meaning  a  buoy  for  the  ship  what  sails, 
And  not  a  boy  of  the  juvenile  males." 

The  kites  used  in  the  experiment  were  from  the 
"stables"  of  Mr.  Eddy.  The  five-foot  tailless  kite  that 
Commodore  Vermilye  and  Mr.  Eddy  first  sent  up  on  this 


52  Spring 


occasion  had  a  perforated  centre,  which  allowed  some  of 
the  wind  to  escape  through  the  hole  or  holes  in  the  kite,  and 
made  it  less  liable  to  pull  hard  suddenly,  when  struck  by 
a  squall  or  wind  puff.  In  other  words,  the  perforation 
answered  for,  and  was  the  kite's  safety-valve. 

The  First  Experiment. 

The  buoy  was  sent  out  from  the  Port  Richmond  side, 
while  the  kites  went  up  from  the  Bergen  Point  side,  for 
the  reason  that  the  wind  was  southerly,  southwesterly,  and 
westerly,  often  carrying  the  kites  inland,  beyond  the 
Bergen  Point  shore. 

The  keel  buoy  was  put  in  a  rowboat  and  rowed  to  Port 
Richmond.  A  six-foot  kite  was  flying,  attached  to  about 
four  hundred  feet  of  cord  which  was  fastened  to  the  buoy 
in  the  boat  rowed  by  John  A.  Weaver,  with  Mr.  Eddy 
holding  the  kite  cord. 

The  buoy  was  dropped  overboard  and  cut  loose  at 
4.20  P.M.,  the  wind  having  shifted  to  westerly,  and  al- 
though the  kite  pulled  eastward,  the  buoy  moved  north- 
ward, the  adjustment  being  such  that  the  buoy  tacked 
under  the  side  pull  like  a  yacht.  Its  speed  was  very 
unequal,  owing  to  the  irregular  pull  of  the  kite,  but  the 
buoy  reached  the  marsh  above  the  Port  Johnson  coal  docks 
at  4.29,  making  the  distance  of  a  mile  in  nine  minutes.  Mr. 
Weaver  rowed  for  the  Port  Richmond  side  at  4.35,  Mr. 
Eddy  holding  the  string,  the  kite  maintaining  its  position 
as  long  as  the  boat  moved  westward  against  the  wind. 
But  when  Port  Richmond  was  reached  the  westerly  wind 
died  out  and  dropped  the  kite  into  the  water  at  4.45  P.M. 

The  kite  was  recovered,  but  the  experiment  was 
abandoned  because  a  fog  settled  over  the  water,  the  wind 
completely  reversing  and  suddenly  setting  in  from  the 


Latest  Things  in  Kites  53 

east.  Much  was  learned  of  the  management  of  kites  on 
the  water  in  calms.  There  are  indications  that  the  buoy 
can  tack  against  the  wind  when  the  kite  pull  is  adjusted  at 
different  angles. 

Of  what  interest  is  all  this  to  the  boys?  Of  great 
interest ;  on  account  of  the  weather  the  most  satisfactory 
results  were  not  obtained,  but  enough  was  learned  to  sug- 
gest the  possibilities  of  a  new  sport  to  the  boys,  that  of 
using 

Kites  for  Sails  for  Small  Boats. 

Probably  ever  since  kites  were  invented  boys  have 
attempted  to  use  them  for  motive  power,  to  make  their 
boats  go  with  no  other  sail  than  the  one  soaring  in  the 
sky,  and  no  mast  but  the  slender  line  leading  from  the  boat 
to  the  kite. 

In  almost  every  attempt  the  boys  have  been  partially 
successful,  but  as  the  boats  could  only  go  before  the  wind 
and  follow  the  kites,  the  direction  of  their  course  had  to 
depend  entirely  upon  the  whims  of  the  weather  clerk,  and 
kite-sailing  never  became  a  sport.  But  the  late  experiments 
with  towing-floats  and  the  invention  of  the  double  belly- 
band  has  opened  new  possibilities  for  the  future  of  kite-fliers. 

The  advantage  of  the  star  kite  for  sailing  purposes  is 
first  in  its  strength  which  the  three  sticks  give  it.  Since 
all  these  sticks  cross  in  the  centre  it  makes  a  kite  of  prac- 
tically six  sticks,  and  the  sticks  on  each  side  supply  a  good 
strong  support  for  the  two  belly-bands. 

For  sailing  purposes  build  your  kite  about  three  and 
one-half  feet  in  diameter,  cover  it  with  good  Manilla  paper, 
and  treat  your  paper  with  a  coating  of  hot  paraffme  to 
make  it  water-proof.  Use  a  paint  brush  and  put  the  paraf- 
fine  on  as  if  you  were  painting  the  paper.  Mr.  Woglom's 


54  Spring 


storm  kites  are  of  paper  covered  with  paraffine,  and  he  has 
flown  them  when  it  rained  so  hard  that  he  was  wet  to  the 
skin,  but  the  kites  did  not  suffer.  When  kite-sailing  there 
is  always  the  chance  of  your  sail-kite  falling  into  the  water, 
and  if  your  sail  is  not  water-proof  your  fun  is  over  for  at 
least  that  day. 

Kites  for  Swimming. 

As  the  writer  grows  older  he  becomes  more  and  more 
modest  in  his  claims  for  originality.  For  it  has  often 
happened  that  his  brightest  and  most  treasured  original 
ideas  are  found  upon  investigation  to  be  claimed  also  by 
some  one  who  lived  long  ago. 

A  kite  for  swimming  is  one  of  those  ideas,  and  the 
writer  really  thought  it  a  brand  new  one.  But,  alas !  he  has 
discovered  that  that  rare  old  American,  Ben  Franklin,  has 
a  prior  claim  which,  since  Ben  lived  first,  the  author  can- 
not dispute.  But  Ben  only  floated  on  his  back  and  allowed 
the  kite  to  tow  him,  and  you  can  at  least  improve  upon  Mr. 
Franklin's  idea  by  using  a  plank  for  a  float,  which  will 
allow  you  to  see  where  you  are  going,  and  a  double  belly- 
banded  kite  that  you  can  guide  in  the  direction  you  wish 
to  go.  All  who  have  tried  this  sport  pronounce  it  delight- 
ful, and  it  will  be  preferred  by  many  to  kite-sailing.  Of 
course  the  kite-swimmer  must  be  careful  not  to  hitch  his 
kite  to  his  float,  or  if  he  does  to  guard  both  float  and  kite, 
for  his  steed  will  run  away  upon  the  first  opportunity  and 
never  stop  running  until  the  wind  fails  or  some  obstruction 
is  met. 

There  are  only  a  few  days  in  which  all  these  kite  sports 
can  be  enjoyed  in  some  of  the  inland  parts  of  the  country, 
but  in  other  sections  there  is  seldom  a  day  the  year  'round 
that  there  is  not  wind  enough  and  to  spare. 


Latest  Things  in  Kites 


55 


The  Belly-bands. 

The  way  to  make  a  star  kite  is  fully  described  in  the 
"American  Boy's  Handy  Book,"  and  it  is  not  our  intention 
to  duplicate  anything  there  described.  But  the  two  belly- 
band  steering  apparatus  is  something  new  and  prop- 
erly belongs  here.  The 
star  kite  has  three  sticks 
of  equal  length,  which 
cross  each  other  in  the 
centre ;  they  are  strung  so 
that  when  the  ends  of  the 
sticks  are  equal  distances 
apart  they  form  a  six- 
pointed  star,  thus,  and  the 
belly-bands  may  be  fast- 
ened at  equal  distances 
from  the  centre,  one  each 
side,  to  the  sticks  in  this 
manner  shown  by  Fig.  30. 
The  tail -band,  of  course, 
is  simply  a  loop  fastened 
to  the  sticks  at  the  bot- 
tom so  that  it  will  hang 
below  the  kite.  It  is  taken  for  granted  that  the  reader 
knows  that  the  belly-band  of  all  kites  is  on  the  paper  side 
of  the  kite  and  not  on  the  same  side  as  the  sticks.  In  the 
latter  case  the  wind  would  tear  the  covering  off  the  kite  at 
once. 

"Kite  Broken  Loose!" 

That  was  the  cry  that  used  to  send  a  thrill  through  every 
youngster  and  start  them  all  on  a  hot  race  after  the  fugitive 


FIG.  30.— The  Star  Kite. 


56  Spring 

kite.  Twenty  or  thirty  years  ago  the  runaway  kite  always 
became  the  property  of  the  one  who  first  captured  it. 
Such  was  the  unquestioned  though  unwritten  law  among 
the  boys,  and  it  appears  from  the  items  that  occasionally 
appear  in  the  papers  that  to  this  day  there  is  a  strong  ten- 
dency on  the  part  of  the  boys,  and  even  men,  to  adhere 
strictly  to  this  old  law. 

One  of  Mr.  Eddy's  tandem  teams  of  kites  broke  away 
and  the  kite-string  slid  over  the  neck  of  a  man  working  on 
a  coal-barge.  The  coal-heaver,  upon  putting  up  his  hands 
to  investigate  the  cause  of  the  tickling  of  his  neck,  to  his 
great  astonishment  found  himself  holding  a  team  of  fun- 
ny tailless  kites,  which  were  bobbing  around  in  the  sky. 
When  Mr.  Eddy  demanded  his  runaways  he  had  consider- 
able difficulty  in  persuading  the  man  to  give  up  the  prize. 

A  Team  of  Eight  Kites  Loose. 

In  July,  1894,  the  same  gentleman  lost  a  team  of  eight 
kites  which  he  was  flying  at  Bayonne.  One  kite  caught  in 
a  tree  and  the  rest  broke  away  and  sailed  over  the  Kill  von 
Kull.  Then  the  bottom  kite  struck  the  ground,  and  again 
the  upper  ones  broke  away,  leaving  their  unfortunate  com- 
rade. The  six  remaining  kites  went  scudding  over  Staten 
Island  until  the  dangling  string  caught  on  a  telegraph 
wire  and  brought  the  six  runaways  up  standing.  Mr.  Eddy 
had  to  journey  by  train  and  boat  before  he  could  cover  the 
distance  travelled  by  the  fugitives  and  effect  their  capture. 

A  Runaway's  Experience. 

The  writer  once  saw  a  kite  pull  the  stick  the  twine  was 
fastened  to  from  the  hands  of  a  boy  who  was  perched 
upon  the  roof  of  a  tenement-house.  The  building  was  near 
the  East  River  on  the  New  York  side,  a  good  wind  was 


Latest  Things  in  Kites  57 

blowing  and  the  kite  lifted  the  stick  over  the  intervening 
house-tops  until  it  dangled  over  the  water.  Here  the  lack 
of  resistance  caused  the  kite  to  settle,  and  down  came  the 
stick  into  the  water.  The  water  offered  sufficient  resist- 
ance to  the  stick  to  send  the  runaway  kite  up  again,  and 
the  stick  was  towed  diagonally  across  the  river  until  it 
reached  the  Brooklyn  side,  where  the  string  became  en- 
tangled in  the  rigging  of  a  ship  that  was  being  loaded  with 
sugar.  When  last  seen  the  runaway  tenement-house  kite 
was  bravely  flying  from  the  ship. 

Kite  at  Boothbay  Tows  a  Plank. 

While  spending  summer  at  Ocean  Point,  near  Boothbay, 
Me.,  the  author  sent  up  an  ordinary  Japanese  hawk  kite 
and  attached  the  string  to  a  nail  in  a  piece  of  plank  which 
was  placed  in  the  ocean.  The  plank  presented  resistance 
enough  to  keep  the  kite  aloft,  and  it  sailed  away  past 
Squirrel  Island,  Pumpkin  Rock,  and  out  to  sea. 

Two  days  afterward  when  the  mackerel  fleet  came  into 
port,  the  writer  learned  that  the  crew  of  one  of  the  smacks 
had  been  surprised  to  find  a  kite  floating  from  a  line  en- 
tangled in  the  rigging  of  the  main-mast.  Where  it  came 
from  was  a  mystery,  until  the  skipper  and  the  writer 
chanced  to  meet  while  the  latter  was  making  a  drawing  of 
the  mackerel  fishers. 

Some  one  in  New  Jersey  once  sent  a  kite  out  to  sea  at- 
tached to  a  float,  and  it  was  picked  up  on  the  coast  of  Vir- 
ginia. 

Notes  to  Neptune. 

Boys  who  live  near  the  lake-side  or  sea-shore,  or  those 
who  visit  these  places  for  tneir  vacation,  can  send  messages 
out  to  sea  whenever  the  wind  is  "  off  shore,"  that  is,  blow- 
ing from  the  shore  toward  the  sea. 


58  Spring 

Address  the  note  to  Mr.  Neptune,  Atlantic  Ocean  or 
Pacific  Ocean  or  Lake  Erie,  according  to  the  location  of 
the  sender.  The  contents  can  be  worded  to  suit  the  taste 
of  the  writer,  but  it  should  end  up  with  a  request  that  the 
finder  communicate  with  the  sender  and  tell  him  when, 
where,  and  under  what  conditions  the  note  was  found ; 
and  do  not  forget  to  give  your  address  as  carefully  as  you 
do  when  writing  to  some  one  for  an  autograph. 

Seal  the  note  and  enclose  it  in  some  water-proof  ma- 
terial or  a  tightly  corked  bottle.  Lash  the  package  or 
bottle  securely  to  a  short  plank  and  drive  a  nail  securely  in 
one  end  of  the  plank. 

After  sending  up  your  kite  attach  the  string  to  the  nail 
and  let  the  plank  go  out  to  sea.  If  no  accident  happens 
to  your  kite  it  is  almost  certain  to  attract  some  one's  at- 
tention, and  as  a  rule  any  one  receiving  such  a  message  at 
sea  will  enter  into  the  spirit  of  the  thing  and  send  a  reply 
on  the  first  opportunity.  In  this  manner  you  can  learn 
how  far  the  kite  travelled  with  its  tow. 

Messengers  up  the  Kite  String. 

It  used  to  be  a  favorite  amusement  with  the  boys  to 
send  messengers  up  their  kite  strings  after  they  had  suc- 
ceeded in  raising  their  good  kite  to  a  respectable  height. 
These  messengers  are  simply  round  pieces  of  colored  paper 
with  slits  cut  in  them  to  holes  in  their  centres.  The  slits 
are  for  the  purpose  of  sliding  the  string  through  to  the  hole. 
The  latter  is  just  large  enough  to  allow  the  paper  to  slip 
over  the  string  with  as  little  friction  as  possible.  (See  Figs. 
31  and  32.) 

The  wind  takes  these  papers  up  the  string  and  hence 
they  are  called  messengers  to  the  kite. 


Latest  Things  in  Kites 


59 


High  Fliers. 

In  1884  Mr.  E.  Douglass  Archibald,  of  the  Royal  Me- 
teorological Society,  sent  up  two  diamond-shaped  kites, 
one  seven  feet  and  the  other  four  feet  in  diameter,  both  at- 
tached to  one  string.  These  kites,  like  Ben  Franklin's, 


FIG.  31.— Square  Mes- 
senger. 


FIG.  32. — Round  Mes- 
senger. 


SENDING  UP  MESSENGERS. 

were  covered  with  silk ;  they  carried  scientific  instruments 
2,200  feet  into  the  air.  "  Pshaw,"  said  some  Americans, 
"  how  is  this  for  high  ?  "  and  they  sent  a  tandem  team  of 
kites  6,000  feet  up  in  the  air;  over  a  mile  high  ! 

That  is  kite  flying !     Why,  if  any  one  of  the  boys  had 
been  able  to  do  such  a  thing  when  the  author  was  a  lad 


60  Spring 


flying  kites  on  the  banks  of  the  Ohio  River,  that  boy  would 
have  achieved  fame  enough  to  satisfy  even  the  vaulting 
ambition  of  a  young  Ben  Franklin.  The  writer's  experi- 
ments had  no  scientific  ends  in  view ;  his  mission  was  to  in- 
troduce new  shapes  of  kites  and  prove  by  experiment  that 
they  would  fly.  He  felt  more  pride  in  holding  by  main 
strength  the  heavy  hempen  twine  to  which  a  six-foot,  strad- 
dle-legged-man  kite  was  attached,  than  ever  was  experi- 
enced by  any  of  those  learned  professors  with  their  tandems 
of  tailless  kites  loaded  with  scientific  instruments. 

But  all  boys  will  be  interested  in  Lawrence  Hargrave's 
kites.  This  great  Australian  inventor  of  flying  machines 
wanted  some  sort  of  an  apparatus  from  which  to  send  off 
his  flying  machine,  and  so  he  invented 

The  Queerest  Kite  Ever  Made. 

In  appearance  there  is  nothing  to  suggest  a  kite ;  but 
then  this  is  not  surprising  in  a  country  where  moles  have 
the  bills  and  feet  of  ducks  and  are  credited  with  laying 
eggs,  where  poll-parrots  kill  sheep,  and  where  savages  have 
war  clubs  which  when  thrown  at  an  enemy  not  only 
knock  the  enemy  over  but  immediately  return  to  their 
owners'  hands.  If  the  inhabitants  of  such  a  country  fly 
kites  we  expect  something  unheard  of  in  the  kite  line,  and 
Lawrence  Hargrave's  kites  do  not  disappoint  us. 

Imagine  two  boxes  with  their  sides  removed  and  con- 
nected by  rods  and  you  have  the  form  of  the  Hargrave  kite. 
Mr.  Hargrave  calls  these  boxes  "  cells,"  but  you  must  not 
mind  that  any  more  than  you  do  when  Mr.  Eddy,  Mr. 
Woglom  and  Professor  Clayton  call  their  kites  "  aero- 
planes." They  mean  all  right  by  it.  After  you  grow  up  to 
man's  estate  and  dignity,  you  too  will  be  hunting  up  out-of- 
the-way  terms  for  common  things.  But  now,  while  you  are 


Latest  Things  in  Kites  61 

boys,  be  charitable  to  the  poor  men  and  let  them  keep  their 
dignity  with  big  words,  while  you  use  simpler  ones  which 
answer  the  purpose  better. 

Mr.  J.   B.   Millet  Tests  its  Qualities. 

Mr.  Millet  spent  three  summers  experimenting  with 
the  Malay  or  Eddy  kite  and  then  constructed  a  Hargrave 
kite,  and  seems  to  be  well  satisfied  with  the  action  of  this 
double  dry-goods  box,  for  that  is  what  it  most  resembles. 

Mr.  Millet,  in  comparing  the  Hargrave  with  the  Hol- 
land, Malay,  or  Eddy  in  the  Aeronautical  Annual,  No.  2, 
1896,  says  that  "the  Hargrave  was  the  steadier,  the  less 
likely  to  break  or  lose  its  shape  in  the  air,  and  lifted  much 
more  per  square  foot  of  lifting  surface."  He  further  says 
that  it  is  a  kite  that  can  be  anchored  in  the  wind  and  left 
there  without  fear  of  disaster.  It  will  fly  steadily  and  not 
require  constant  mending  or  balancing. 

It  is  evident  at  a  glance  that  the  Hargrave  kite  must 
possess  "  rigidity  "  of  frame.  It  is  also  evident  that  this 
is  a  most  difficult  quality  to  be  secured  without  adding 
weight  to  the  structure.  Hence  this  kite  is  generally  con- 
sidered as  unfit  for  light  winds. 

How  to  Make  a  Hargrave  Kite. 

Take  eight  slender,  stiff  pieces  of  bamboo, — what  the  in- 
land boys  know  as  fishin'  pole  or  cane.  These  sticks  must 
be  as  evenly  balanced  as  possible  and  exactly  the  same 
length,  eighteen  inches  and  three-quarters  long.  Next  cut 
six  sticks  each  eleven  inches  long  and  as  nearly  alike  as 
possible.  These  are  for  the  middle  uprights  and  end 
stretchers.  Find  the  middle  of  each  of  your  first  eight 
sticks  and  lash  them  together  in  pairs  at  their  middle  (Fig. 
33  A).  Use  waxed  shoe-thread  to  bind  the  middle  points 


62  Spring 


together,  and  make  the  spread  between  a  and  c  just  eleven 
inches.  Notch  the  ends  of  the  sticks. 

You  now  have  four  pairs  of  cross  sticks  neatly  fastened 
together,  and  you  must  take  one  of  your  eleven-inch  up- 
rights and  bind  it  to  the  ends  of  two  pairs  of  cross  sticks. 
(Fig.  34  B.)  Take  the  other  eleven-inch  upright  and  fasten 
the  other  two  pairs  of  cross  sticks  in  the  same  manner. 

Next  cut  two  "  booms,"  "  spines,"  or  connecting-rods, 
also  of  stiff  bamboo,  and  let  them  each  be  thirty  inches  long, 
and  like  the  two  uprights,  as  nearly  alike  as  it  is  possible 
for  you  to  select  them.  Now,  with  your  waxed  thread,  or 
shoe  thread,  bind  the  two  booms  over  the  ends  of  the 
eleven-inch  stretchers  or  uprights  (Fig.  35  C).  The  boom 
must  fit  like  the  top  of  a  letter  T  over  the  stretchers,  and 
be  perfectly  square,  that  is,  at  right  angles  with  the  stretcher, 
b,  d,  Fig.  34  B.  Each  end  of  the  booms  must  protrude 
beyond  the  uprights  five  and  one-half  inches,  that  is,  the 
end  b,  k,  the  end  d,  /,  the  end  m,  b,  and  the  end  a,  n,  must 
each  be  five  and  one-half  inches  long,  which  leaves  nineteen 
inches  between  b,  b  and  d,  d  (Fig.  35  C).  Bind  the  other  four 
stretchers  to  the  ends  of  the  sticks  a,  c,  etc.,  as  shown  in 
Fig.  36  D.  Now  string  the  frame,  so  that  all  the  sticks 
(with  the  exception  of  the  diagonal  or  cross  sticks,  Fig.  33 
A)  shall  be,  as  the  boys  say,  perfectly  square  with  each 
other,  or,  more  correctly  speaking,  at  right  angles.  Take 
an  old  paint-brush  and  a  pot  of  hot  glue,  and  paint  all  the 
joints  with  glue. 

The  frame  is  now  finished,  and  it  only  needs  a  cover. 
The  frame  should  now  measure  thirty  inches  in  the  longest 
dimension  of  the  box  or  cell,  eleven  inches  in  the  height  of 
the  cell,  and  eleven  inches  in  the  breadth  of  the  cell,  that  is, 
1 1  by  1 1  by  30  inches  for  each  box  or  cell,  and  thirty  inches 
for  the  length  of  the  two  booms,  and  eight  inches  between 


Latest  Things  in  Kites 


FIG.  33. 


FIG.  34. 


FIG.  37 


FIG.  36. 


FIGS.  33-37.— The  Funny  Hargrave  Kite. 


64  Spring 


the  cells.  Cover  the  kite  with  light,  strong  cloth  that  will 
not  stretch.  Fit  the  cloth  over  the  frame  neatly,  and  sew 
it  on  so  as  to  form  two  boxes  covered  at  the  top,  bottom, 
and  ends.  But  the  two  broad  sides  of  each  are  left  open 
for  the  wind  to  whistle  through.  Hem  all  the  raw  edges 
of  the  cloth.  On  the  bottom  boom,  at  or  near  the  inside 
edge  of  the  cloth  cover,  lash  with  waxed  thread  a  small 
brass  ring  for  a  belly-band  (Fig.  37). 

Double  and  Triple  Kite. 

All  of  the  diamond-shaped,  tailless  kites  may  be  made 
double  or  triple,  and  will  fly  as  well  as,  if  not  better  than, 
the  single  kites. 

How  to  Make  Compound  Kites. 

Use  a  backbone  or  spine  stick  twice  the  size  you  intend 
your  kites  to  be.  Then  on  the  same  spine  stick  make  two 
kites,  one  above  the  other,  or  make  the  backbone  three 
times  as  long,  and  make  a  triple  kite.  The  courtesy  of  the 
editor  of  the  Aeronautical  Annual  places  before  the  reader 
this 

EXPLANATION  OF  TRIPLE  MALAY  KITE. 

"  Spruce  frame.  Backbone  FL  is  curved  as  shown  in  the  upper  figure. 
MN,  OP,  etc.,  are  spruce  uprights  \  inch  x  f  inch  and  12  to  20  inches  in 
length,  according  to  position.  MO,  etc.,  NP,  etc.,  and  also  the  diagonal  lines, 
are  taut  steel  wires.  Backbone  is  18  feet  long,  i  inch  thick,  i±  inch  wide  in 
the  centre,  tapering  to  -J  inch  wide  at  the  ends.  From  L  to  A  measured  on 
the  stick  i  feet  6  inches.  From  A  to  K,  9  inches.  From  K  to  B,  3  feet  9 
inches.  From  B  to  C,  from  D  to  E,  18  inches  each.  GH,  QR,  and  ST  are 
bows  each  5  feet  long  before  bending.  They  are  \  inch  x  J  inch.  When 
bows  are  bent  the  bow-strings  in  their  centres  are  about  5  inches  from  the 
wood.  The  surfaces  BGAH,  DQCR,  and  FSET  are  equal. 

"  The  curves  of  the  backbone  and  the  three  cross-bows  have  their  convex 
sides  toward  the  wind.  This  kite  is  covered  with  very  strong  Manila  paper. 
Weight  of  the  whole  kite,  6  pounds.  Textile  fabric  made  impervious  to 
air  and  moisture  would  make  a  better  covering.  SR,  TQ,  QH,  RG,  SQGL, 


JLatest  Things  in  Kites 


TRHL,  are  taut  steel- wire  stays.  The  kite  is  bridled  as  follows  :  Find  a 
point  on  the  backbone  between  D  and  E  4  inches  from  D,  here  attach  two 
cords,  each  2  or  3  feet  long,  drop  them  so  that  one  will  be  on  one  side  and 
the  other  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  wire  NP,  unite  the  ends  of  the  two  cords, 
and  rig  a  chafing-gear  on  the  wire  NP,  so  that  the  cords  may  not  be  cut. 

"  Attach  a  long  single  cord  to  the  cords  just  united.  Pull  taut  and 
measure  off  16  feet  3  inches  from  the  point  of  attachment  between  D  and 
E.  Call  this  point  on  the  cord  W.  Let  the  cord  fall  in  a  bight  and  secure 


FIG.  38.— The  Professional's  Compound  Kite. 

W  to  the  backbone  at  A.  Now  take  four  or  five  galvanized  iron-rings  and 
fasten  them  by  marline  to  the  cord,  the  first  one  about  7  feet  4  inches  from  A, 
the  next  about  7  feet  7  inches,  and  so  on  at  intervals  of  3  inches.  At  the  end 
of  the  line  from  the  reel  place  a  small  snap- hook.  When  this  is  snapped 
into  the  ring  7  feet  10  inches  from  A,  the  remainder  of  the  bridle  measur- 
ing 8  feet  5  inches,  the  kite  will  be  bridled  as  when  last  flown.  Still,  no  two 
kites  are  alike,  and  it  may  be  that  better  results  will  be  obtained  from  a  new 
kite  if  the  snap-hook  is  fastened  to  one  of  the  other  rings.  Be  particular 
to  preserve  the  symmetry  in  framing  and  covering,  or  your  labor  will  be 
wasted. " 

Kite  String. 

Inland,  where  the  wind  is  light,  good,  strong,  linen  thread 
answers  all  purposes  for  small  kites,  but  when  the  kites  are 
larger  or  the  wind  is  stronger  the  best  string  is  a  close- 
twisted  linen  line.    At  the  famous  Blue  Hill  "  kite  stables" 
5 


66  Spring 

a  string  called  blocking-cord  is  the  favorite  line  with  the 
kite-fliers.  Blocking-cord  is  used  in  blocking  hats.  Cable- 
laid  twines  are  also  good  for  kite  string.  Knots  are  safer 
than  splices  in  a  kite  string.  Don't  tie  a  granny  knot  or 
you  will  lose  your  kite.  Look  in  your  "  American  Boy's 
Handy  Book,"  and  in  the  chapter  on  knots,  bends,  and 
hitches  you  will  see  how  to  tie  knots  that  will  not  slip. 


CHAPTER  V 
MALAY   AND   OTHER  TAILLESS  KITES 

Some  Famous  Experiments— How  the  Malays  and  Other  Oriental 
Kites  Are  Made— Kites  in  Tandem—Cannibal  and  Chinese  Butter- 
fly  Kites. 

Malay  Kites. 

IN  a  New  York  newspaper  in  October,  1894,  there  ap- 
peared an  article  describing  Professor  Clayton's  experi- 
ment, and  showing  how  he  sent  up  a  series  of  kites,  all  at- 
tached by  short  lines  to  one  kite  string.  The  kites  were 
tailless,  bowed,  diamond-shaped  ;  kites  which  the  writer 
called  "Malay  kites."  The  only  Malay  kites  that  the  au- 
thor of  this  book  ever  saw  were  at  the  World's  Fair  at 
Chicago,  and  in  the  collection  of  Mr.  Chase,  the  artist. 
These  kites  differed  from  the  Holland  kites  and  the  Eddy 
kites  in  the  fact  that  they  possessed  two  cross  sticks,  one 
straight  one  and  one  a  bow  over  the  ,straight  stick.  The 
Malay  kite  is  said  to  fly  without  a  tail,  like  most  of  its 
Oriental  brothers. 

In  the  last  edition  of  the  "  American  Boy's  Handy  Book  " 
the  diamond-bowed  tailless  kite  is  described,  and  there 
called  a  Holland  kite  by  the  gentleman  who  sent  in  the  de- 
scription to  the  author  in  1883,  l°ng  before  it  burst  into 
popularity  under  the  name  of  the  Malay  kite. 

Part  of  the  Celebration. 

During  the  Columbian  parade  in  New  York  City  these 
kites  were  used  to  help  celebrate.  As  on  all  occasions  of  the 


68  Spring 


kind  where  large  bodies  parade,  there  "  came  a  long  wait, 
the  tedium  being  only  occasionally  relieved  by  the  frantic 
efforts  of  the  policemen  to  drive 'the  crowd  back  by  leaning 
against  the  foremost  and  pushing  desperately,  but  generally 
unavailingly.  Then  there  came  another  break  in  the  mo- 
notony. Gilbert  T.  Woglom,  the  well-known  experimenter 
with  aeroplanes — actually  tailless  kites — sent  up  six  gau- 
dily colored  fliers  from  the  Judson  Memorial  Tower,  south 
of  the  arch.  When  they  were  so  high  that  they  were  al- 
most invisible  a  large  American  flag  was  attached  to  the 
kite  line  and  raised  far  into  the  air,  until  it  was  over  a  thou- 
sand feet  above  the  earth.  There  it  fluttered  grandly,  out- 
lined sharply  against  the  unclouded  beauty  of  the  Venetian 
sky  that  glorified  the  city's  holiday,  until  the  celebration 
was  ended." 

This  was  an  interesting  sight,  but  not  new,  as  Captain 
Jack  Walker,  of  the  Nereus  Club,  used  to  do  the  same 
thing  during  the  Fourth  of  July  Regattas  of  the  club  on 
Flushing  Bay.  The  captain's  kite-line  was  attached  to  the 
top  of  the  flag-pole  on  the  club-house.  An  illustrated  ac- 
count of  this  experiment  appeared  in  the  St.  Nicholas  Maga- 
zine several  years  ago. 

How  to  Make  the  Tailless  Kite.* 

The  vital  difference  between  this  and  the  old-fashioned 
diamond  kite  consists  in  using  instead  of  the  cross  stick,  a 
bow,  as  may  be  seen  in  the  accompanying  diagram.  The 
sketch  also  shows  how  the  belly-band  is  attached  and  its 
proportions,  the  latter  being  taken  from  a  kite  made  in 

*  "  Mr.  Eddy  had  one  convex  kite  in  his  collection  at  Blue  Hill  last  summer, 
which  he  called  the  Beard  Kite.  Mr.  Beard  has  given  to  kite-fliers  (in  "  The 
American  Boy's  Handy  Book  ")  the  earliest  working  drawings  of  a  tailless  kite 
which  the  Editor  has  yet  found." — Aeronautical  Annual^  1896. 


Malay  and  Other  Tailless  Kites          69 

Rochester,  which  flew  very  satisfactorily.  The  centre  stick 
or  spine  is  four  feet  long,  the  cross  stick,  of  ash,  or  hickory, 
is  three  feet  long. 

Mr.  Woglom  began  his  experiments  with  this  sort  of 
a  kite  in   1894,  and  he  now  keeps  a  regular  "stable"  of 


Holland  Kite.  Side  View,  Showing  Belly-Band. 

FIG.  38a. 

• 

kites  of  all  sizes.  But  he  does  not  call  them  kites,  he  calls 
them  aeroplanes,  and  he  has  sent  his  aeroplanes  5,590  feet 
into  the  sky—that  is,  the  top  kite  was  three  hundred  and 
ten  feet  more  than  a  mile  above  the  earth. 

The  Woglom  Kite  — How  it  is  Made. 
Take  two  sticks  of  equal  length.     At  a   point   on   the 
upright   or   spine  stick,  one -fifth  of  the  length  from  the 
top  of  the  spine,  place  the  centre  of  the  cross  or  bow  stick 


Spring 


and  fasten  it  there.  Bend  the  bow  so  that  the  curve  is 
as  perfect  as  possible,  and  fasten  it  with  a  string.  Then 
string  the  kite  as  you  would  an  ordinary  diamond  kite. 
Mr.  Woglom  uses  piano  wire  for  the  bow,  and  silver-plated 
copper  wire  for  guys  running  around  the  kite  from  end 
to  end  of  the  sticks.  Few  boys,  however,  have  access  to 
such  material,  and  string  will  answer  their  purpose. 

Mr.  Eddy's  Kite. 

Mr.  William  A.  Eddy,  of  Bayonne,  is  also  a  celebrated 
kite  enthusiast.  He  uses  his  kites  for  ascertaining  how 
hot,  cold,  or  damp  it  is  up  among  the  clouds.  There  is  a 


FIG.  39.— The  Eddy  Kite. 


FiG.  40.— The  Malay  Kite. 


vacant  lot  near  his  house  where  he  flies  his  kites,  or,  to  use 
a  new  term  in  vogue  among  these  grown-up  kite-fliers,  he 
"  dismisses  a  gang  of  kites  "  from  the  vacant  lot. 

Mr.  Eddy  is  the  proud  owner  of  a  "  stable  "  of  five 
hundred  kites.  He  began  his  kite-flying  with  the  good  old 
American  hexagonal  or  coffin -shaped  kite,  but  in  using 
more  than  one  kite  on  a  string  there  was  always  a  chance 
of  the  tail  becoming  entangled  in  the  line.  At  the  Colum- 


Malay  and  Other  Tailless  Kites          71 

bia  Exposition  he  saw  the  Malay  kite  and  that  settled  the 
tails.     He  now  uses  no  kites  with  tails. 

How  It  is  Made. 

The  following  are  his  directions  for  building  a  kite 
as  given  in  one  of  the  New  York  papers : 

"The  longitudinal  stick  shown  in  the  cut  (Fig.  39),  at  the  line  B  D 
should  be  of  spruce  about  three-eighths  by  one-half  inch.  For  ordinary  pur- 
poses sixty  inches  is  a  convenient  length,  but  it  can  be  varied  to  any  extent 
so  long  as  the  other  dimensions  are  kept  in  proportion.  The  cross  piece 
A  C  should  be  a  similar  stick  of  equal  length.  When  in  position  it 
is  bent  about  four  per  cent,  of  its  length.  It  should  cross  B  D  at  E, 
so  that  B  E  shall  be  1 8  per  cent,  of  B  D.  The  frame  A  B  C  D 
should  be  of  light  spruce,  the  same  size  as  the  cross-pieces,  and  great 
care  should  be  used  to  have  A  B  just  equal  to  B  C,  and  A  D  equal  to 
C  D.  When  the  frame  is  finished  cover  loosely  with  manila  paper,  allowing 
some  concavity  on  the  face  of  the  kite  on  each  side  below  the  cross  stick,  so 
that  it  will  act  as  a  sail.  Bind  the  edges  with  thin  wire,  which  stretches  less 
than  string.  Then  go  out  and  fly  your  kite.  It  will  not  be  necessary  to  wait 
for  the  wind,  for  this  kite  will  fly  in  a  very  slow  breeze.  If  the  kite  is  a  large 
one,  an  important  part  is  the  string.  It  should  have  a  breaking  strength  of 
from  thirty  to  seventy-five  pounds,  in  accordance  with  the  strength  of  the 
winds  it  is  used  in.  In  any  case  not  more  than  one-third  of  the  breaking 
strain  should  be  used,  two-thirds  being  left  as  a  reserve  for  emergencies. 
For  very  high  flying  silk  cord  is  the  best,  as  it  possesses  the  greatest  strength 
for  its  weight." 

Seven  Kites  in  Tandem. 

Mr.  Eddy  sent  up  seven  kites  tandem  that  reached  a 
height  of  3,700  feet.  This  sort  of  kite-flying  is  not  a  boy's 
sport,  at  least  not  a  small  boy's  sport,  as  the  pull  is  often 
so  great  that  no  small  boy  could  hold  the  kite,  and  some- 
times it  is  dangerous,  as  another  kite-flier,  Mr.  A.  A.  Mer- 
rill, discovered  when  the  line  of  a  large  kite  caught  him 
around  the  waist.  Fortunately,  there  was  help  near  by,  or 
the  accident  might  have  proved  serious. 


Spring 


Among  the  things  that  will  interest  boys  is  the  fact  that 
Mr.  Eddy  has  sent  a  camera  up  attached  to  his  kite  string, 
and  by  means  of  a  line  to  pull,  in  place  of  touching  the  but- 
ton, he  has  taken  photographs  of  the  landscape  from  a  kite's 
point  of  view.  These  were  reproduced  in  a  New  York 
newspaper.  To  use  the  scientists'  term  let  us  now  "  dis- 
miss "these  aeroplanes  and  turn  our  attention  for  awhile 
to  some  novelties  in  the  kite  line,  which  will  be  less  scien- 
tific but  just  as  interesting  to  the  boys,  and  in  the  descrip- 
tion of  which  we  shall  not  have  to  use  quotation  marks, 
as  the  kites  are  our  own  invention. 

How  to  Make  Wing  and  Wing. 

This  is  an  entirely  new  form,  designed  especially  for  the 
boy  readers  of  this  book  as  a  novelty  for  kite-time.  The 
framework  is  indicated  by  heavy  lines  and  the  strings  by 
light  lines,  and  in  Wing  and  Wing  the  sketches  show  the 
gradual  evolution  from  a  bow  and  a  straight  pine  stick  to 

a  schooner  under  full  sail  going 
wing  and  wing,  topsail  set,  wind 
astern. 

Take  an  elastic  stick  three  and 
one-half  feet  long  and  bend  it  in 
the  form  of  a  bow,  so  that  the 
bow  string  will  measure  two  and 
one-half  feet  from  A  to  B  in  the 
diagram.  For  a  mast  take  a  straight 
pine  stick  (C  D)  seven  feet  long, 
allow  three  inches  to  extend  be- 
yond the  bow  to  form  a  keel  at  C.  Fasten  the  mast  to  the 
exact  middle  of  the  bow  and  again  to  the  exact  middle  of 
the  bow  string,  as  shown  in  the  diagram.  Next  cut  two 
boom  sticks,  each  five  feet  long,  and  be  careful  that  the# 


FIG.  41.— Sticks  of  the  Ship-Kite. 


Malay  and  Other  Tailless  Kites          73 


FIG.  42. 


are  exactly  the  same  length ;  fasten  the  ends  of  the  boom 
stick  at  E  and  F,  a  trifle  below  A  and  B,  the  ends  of  the  bow. 
Allow  them  to  cross  the  mast  and  each  other  at  a  point  on 
the  mast  one  and  one-half  feet  above  the  keel  end  of  the 
mast  stick,  as  G  F  and  E  H  cross  in  the  diagram.  The 
sprit  sticks,  L  I  and  J  K,  in  the  dia- 
gram should  be  also  exactly  the 
same  length  ;  i.e.,  six  feet  each,  and 
should  cross  the  mainmast  at  a 
point  about  four  feet  three  inches 
above  the  keel  end  of  the  mast.  At 
a  point  on  the  mast  four  feet  nine 
inches  above  C,  the  keel  end  of 
the  mast  stick,  put  the  yard  O  P 
for  the  square  topsail.  Five  feet 
ten  inches  from  C  place  the  second  cross  stick,  M  N; 
square  your  yards,  as  the  sailor  would  say — that  is,  see  that 
they  are  neither  tipping  up  nor  down,  but  at  right  angles 
with  your  mast,  D  C. 

The  framework  is  now  done  and  you  must  fix  the 
"  ropes,"  made  of  string,  as  shown  in  the  diagram  (Fig.  42). 
Your  kite  is  then  ready  to  cover.  Feet  and  inches  have  been 
used  in  this  description  only  for  convenience ;  of  course  it 
is  not  necessary  nor  desirable,  as  a  rule,  to  make  a  kite 
seven  feet  high,  and  very  few  boys,  or  even  men,  would  be 
able  to  hold  such  a  monster ;  but  remember  that  when  feet 
are  used  it  is  only  to  give  the  proportions :  inches  or  half 
feet  would  answer  just  as  well.  For  instance,  the  main 
mast  pine  stick,  C  D,  would  then  be  seven  half  feet  long, 
that  is,  three  and  a  half  feet.  This  will  make  a  kite  of  very 
good  size  that  a  boy  can  manage.  In  other  words,  use  the 
proportions  given  in  the  description,  and  not,  necessarily. 
the  same  unit  of  measure. 


74 


Spring 


To  Cover  and   Paint  it. 

Select  white  paper  for  the  sails  and  dark  paper  for  the 
hull.  Spread  your  paper  on  the  floor  and  lay  the  frame 
upon  it,  holding  it  firmly  with  paper-weights  or  books  to 
keep  it  in  place.  Then,  with  a  good,  sharp  pair  of  shears, 
cut  carefully  around  the  frame,  leaving  a  margin  of  paper 
to  fold  over.  At  each  angle  cut  a  slit  in  the  margin  to  the 
angle  in  the  frame,  and  upon  curves  cut  similar  slits  every 
few  inches.  This  will  prevent  wrinkles  and  make  a  neat 
job. 

With  good  flour-paste  cover  the  margin,  section  by  sec- 
tion, turning  each  section  over  the  frame  and  pressing  it 

down  with  a  towel  or  rag  to  make 
it  adhere.  Continue  this  until  the 
whole  frame  is  covered  as  in  the 
diagram  marked  "  Wing  and  Wing  " 
(Fig.  43).  When  it  is  dry,  with  a 
small  paint-brush  paint  the  reef 
points  on  the  sails  with  ink  or  black 
paint.  Paint  a  white  cutwater  up 
the  middle  of  the  hull,  and  tie  cross 
strings  on  the  stays,  rope-ladder 
fashion,  where  they  show  above  and 
below  the  mast. 

All  that  is  necessary  now  is  to  put  a  little  flag  or  pen- 
nant on  the  topmast  and  your  ship  is  ready  to  sail  its  course 
through  the  fleecy  billows  of  cloud  ocean. 

Tail  and  Belly  Bands. 

Attach  a  loop  of  string  to  the  hull  from  either  side  of 
the  keel  and  it  will  form  the  tail-band.  Attach  the  belly- 
band  to  the  two -sprit  sticks  and  allow  it,  like  the  sticks,  to 


FIG.  43.  —Wing  and  Wing,  the 
Ship-Kite. 


Malay  and  Other  Tailless  Kites          75 

cross  in  the  middle  of  the  kite.  Tie  your  kite-string  to  the 
belly-band  and  adjust  it  to  the  proper  point  by  sliding  up 
or  down  as  the  trial  flights  of  the  kite  may  dictate. 

Only  the  other  day  the  author  met  a  lady  with  a  boy 
walking  down  the  street.  The  boy  carried  affectionately  in 
his  arms  a  man  kite  larger  than  himself.  The  man  kite  was 
made  upon  the  plan  published  in  the  "  American  Boy's 
Handy  Book."  This  is  mentioned  only  to  show  that  boys 
can  still  build  their  own  kites,  for  several  points  about  this 
particular  kite  indicated  that  the  lad  who  carried  it  had 
made  it  himself.  If  his  father  made  it  for  him  the  work- 
manship was  not  above  criticism,  but  for  a  boy's  work  it 
was  first  rate  and  it  undoubtedly  will  fly. 

To  Make  a  "  Dancing  Bear." 

The  "  Dancing  Bear  "  is  another  original  kite  design  es- 
pecially for  this  book.  It  is  made  like  a  man  kite,  but  with 
shorter  arms  and  legs,  and  the  addition  of  two  extra  sticks 
in  the  head  for  ears.  The  heavy  black  lines  in  Fig.  44  show 
the  pine  sticks  that  make  the  skeleton ;  the  strings  are  the 
lighter  lines.  The  construction  is  not  difficult,  and  I  think 
the  reader  can,  if  he  lays  the  diagram  in  front  of  him,  trust 
to  his  eye  for  the  proportions.  If  not,  he  may  call  the  spine 
or  middle  stick  six  feet  or  else  six  inches  long,  then  the  two 
leg  sticks  will  also  be  six  feet  or  six  inches  each,  the  arm 
stick  four  and  one-half,  and  with  these  figures  he  may  guess 
at  the  size  of  the  head,  feet,  and  hands. 

The  only  real  difficulty  will  be  in  painting  the  kite. 
Cover  it  with  brown  paper,  and  with  this  book  open  before 
you,  with  black  paint  or  a  bottle  of  ink  and  a  brush  paint  on 
the  claws,  the  black  triangles  of  shadow  under  the  arms  and 
above  the  legs,  a  black  collar  around  the  neck,  leaving  a 
notch  for  the  lower  jaw,  and  a  black  mouth  having  two  teeth 


76 


Spring 


showing,  the  outline  of  the  nose,  two  nostrils,  two  wrinkles, 
two  round  dots  for  eyes  and  two  black  triangles  for  the  in- 
side of  the  ears,  and  if  it  doesn't  look  like  a  bear  it  will 
look  like  some  sort  of  a  beast. 

As  far  as  the  likeness  to  a  bear  is  concerned,  after  you 
have  done  your  best  in  the  artistic  line,  let  it  go ;  it  will 


FIGS.  44,  45.— The  Dancing  Bear. 

be  a  better-looking  bear  than  some  of  the  drawings  that 
pass  for  this  beast  in  current  magazines  and  natural  his- 
tories. 

Try  a  "Tandem/' 

that  is,  send  up  one  kite  first  until  it  has  reached  a  point  as 
high  as  you  may  desire.  Then  send  up  another  kite  far 
enough  so  that  its  tail  will  not  interfere  with  the  first  kite 
string.  Make  the  second  kite-string  fast  to  the  line  of  the 


Malay  and  Other  Tailless  Kites          77 

first  kite  and  let  out  more  string.     Mr.  Clayton,  late  of  Blue 
Hill  Observatory,  gives  the  following  as 

The  Best  Tandem  Arrangement. 

"  In  the  summer  of  1890,  while  experimenting  with 
hexagon  tail  kites  at  Bergen  Point,  I  found  that  the  best 
tandem  system  was  not  to  fasten  one  kite  to  the  back  of  an- 
other, but  to  give  each  kite  its  individual  string  and  allow 
it  to  branch  upward  from  a  main  line.  This  method  was 
so  successful  that  on  May  9,  1891,  at  Bergen  Point,  with  a 
ten  or  twelve  mile  wind  from  the  west  and  with  five  hexa- 
gon tail  kites  to  lift  the  main  line,  the  top  kite  became  a 
very  distant  speck,  estimated  at  4,000  feet  high  by  those 
looking  on,  although  no  triangulation  of  the  altitude  was 
made.  I  have  since  become  convinced  that  the  probable 
altitude  was  6,000  feet,  but  as  it  was  not  measured,  I  have 
not  so  far  included  it  in  my  records  of  altitude. 

Tailless  Kites  the  Best. 

"  The  hexagon  tail  kites  carry  up  a  wonderfully  steep 
string,  but  they  call  for  long  individual  lines  to  each  kite 
to  prevent  the  kite-tail  from  becoming  entangled  with  the 
line  below.  But  the  Malay  tailless  kites  excel  them.  I  have 
Malay  tailless  kites  that  fly  with  a  steeper  string  than  a 
hexagon,  and  require  no  hauling  down  if  the  wind  increases 
from  eight  to  thirty-five  miles  an  hour— conditions  which 
will  bring  to  the  ground  a  tail  kite. 

"  Since  the  Malay  kite  has  only  two  light  sticks,  and  can 
be  built  of  very  light  paper  as  well  as  cloth,  it  is  at  home 
in  mild  winds  of  from  four  to  eight  miles  an  hour.  The 
cloth-covered  kites  are  much  heavier  and  are  for  use  in 
stronger  winds." 

Now  if  the  reader  has  proved  himself  a  good  kite-flief 


78  Spring 

he  should  have  a  fine  "  stable  "  of  kites  of  his  own  manufact- 
ure, and  since  from  the  authorities  quoted  it  is  evident  that 
kites  with  tails  can  be  made  to  fly  tandem  he  can  produce  a 
great  sensation  by  taking  an  example  of  all  the  different 
forms  of  kites  and  by  sending  up  the  largest  one  first.  At- 


FIG.  46.— All  the  Novelties  in  the  Air. 

tach  the  string  ol  another  to  the  first  kite  string  and  let  it 
go.  Let  him  pay  out  more  line  and  hitch  on  another  kite, 
and  so  on  until  he  has  a  whole  navy  or  zoological  garden 
floating  over  the  heads  of  the  astonished  spectators,  and 
though  he  may  discover  no  new  law  in  science,  he  will  have 
a  "heap  "  of  fun.  (Fig.  46.) 


Malay  and  Other  Tailless  Kites          79 


A  Strange  Country  and  the  Home  of  a  Strange  Kite. 

In  a  land  where  street-car  drivers  on  duty  wear  wreaths 
of  flowers  on  their  hats  or  around  their  necks ;  where  cen- 
tipedes have  lost  their  venom,  where  savages  no  longer 
murder,  but  divide  their  time  between  decorating  each 
other  with  flowers  and  working  to  heap  up  wealth  for  the 
white  strangers  who  have  seized  their  land  ;  in  a  land  where 
the  eruption  of  a  volcano  is  hailed  with  joy  because,  like 
the  centipede,  it  has  lost  its  sting  and  does  its  little  eruption 
act  apparently  with  the  sole  object  of  furnishing  entertain, 
ment  for  the  people ; — in  such  a  curious  land  we  have  a 
right  to  expect  novelties  in  the  kite  line,  and  are  not  sur- 
prised when  we  find 

Cannibal  Kites 

that  not  only  do  not  eat  each  other  but  are  perfectly  harm- 
less and  gentle  in  their  deportment.  If  you  happen  to  be 
at  Honolulu  and  are  taking  a  day  off  to  see  old  Kilaue  dur- 
ing an  eruption,  you  will  probably  take  the  Kinau,  the  reg- 
ular Hilo  boat,  and  with  a  jolly  party  all  bedecked  with  flow- 
ers sail  over  that  wonderful  sea  under  that  wonderful  sky 
southward.  You  will  pass  the  extreme  southwest  point 
of  Molokai,  and  skirt  the  emerald  shores  of  Lanai  and  the 
rocky  Kahoolawe,  and  then,  turning  in  a  northeasterly 
direction,  enter  the  channel  that  separates  Hawaii  from 
Maui. 

This  is  far  enough  for  our  purpose  at  present,  for  it  is 
at  Maui  that  the  cannibal  kites  flourish.  A  number  of  Gil- 
bert Islanders  emigrated  from  their  own  island  home  to 
Maui  and  brought  their  kites,  or  the  art  of  making  them, 
with  them.  The  whites  call  the  Gilbert  Islanders  cannibals 
because  of  the  supposed  habits  of  these  people's  ancestors, 


8o 


Spring 


and  hence  their  beautiful  bird-like  toys  have  the  terrible 
name  of  cannibal  kites. 

In  form  this  kite  is  what  might  be  termed  a  wide  bow- 
kite.     It  is  about  five  times  as  wide  as  it  is  high,  and  not  at 
_  all  like  the  stiff  old- 

fashioned  English 
bow -kite.  The  bow 
has  the  curve  of  the 
spread  wings  of  a 
bird,  and  like  them 
ends  at  both  ends  in 
points,  very  much  on 
the  same  plan  as  the 
wings  of  Lilicnthal's 
wonderful  flying  ma- 
chine (Fig.  47). 

But  while  the  Gil- 
bert Islanders,  now 
in  the  Sandwich  Isl- 
ands, have  evolved 
the  wings  of  a  flying 
machine,  it  has  ap- 
parently never  oc- 
curred to  them  to 
use  their  invention 
for  any  other  pur- 
pose than  a  beautiful 
toy.  On  a  thirteen-foot  kite  the  bow  stick  is  half  an  inch 
thick,  and  the  lateral  cross  stick  is  of  the  same  thickness,  but 
the  bottom  sticks  are  only  a  quarter  of  an  inch  in  thickness. 
The  longer  sticks  of  this  kite  are  made,  like  a  split  bamboo 
fishing  rod,  of  a  number  of  pieces  or  strips  of  wood  neatlv 
spliced  together.  In  place  of  paste  the  Gilbert  Islanders 


FIG.  47. —The  Live-Man  Kite. 


Malay  and  Other  Tailless  Kites          81 

use  thread,  and  tie  the  sticks  to  the  paper  covering  so 
neatly  that  it  has  the  appearance  of  being  glued  on.  The 
kite  is  a  delicate  affair,  and  is  only  used  in  fair  weather, 
but  much  stronger  wings  can  be  made  to  suit  the  winds  of 
the  Atlantic  coast,  while  the  boys  of  the  Ohio  and  Missis- 
sippi valleys  can  build  their  kites  as  delicately  as  the  original 
cannibals  did  theirs. 

How  to  Make  a    Cannibal  Kite. 

A  piece  of  spruce  wood  well  seasoned  and  absolutely 
free   from   knots   is  what   you  want  for  your  kite  frame. 


FIG.  48.—  The  ^V   |     6fc*  < 

Measuring  Stick. 

FIG.  49.—  The 

Spine.  .T     io€-  rt  wnwf 

FIG.  50.—  The 

Ribs. 

v:—  T> 

STICKS  FOR  CANNIBAL  KITE. 

You  can  make  the  kite  as  large  as  you  choose,  but  in  this 
description  we  will  suppose  that  the  frame  is  to  be  only 
about  four  feet  from  tip  to  tip  of  the  wings. 

First  select  a  good  strong  piece  of  wood  of  any  kind,  a 
little  over  four  feet  long,  for  a  stretcher  or  measuring  stick, 
and  mark  off  on  it,  from  the  centre  both  ways,  forty-nine 
inches  divided  thus  :  Five  and  one-half  inches,  six  and  one- 
half  inches,  six  and  one-half  inches  again,  then  six  inches. 
(See  Fig.  48.)  Now  make  seven  kite  sticks,  one  for  the 
spine  or  middle  stick,  ten  and  one-half  inches  long  (Fig.  49)  ; 
two  more,  each  nine  inches  long  ;  two,  each  seven  inches 
long,  and  two  short  ones  four  and  one-half  inches  in  length 
(Fig.  50).  Make  all  these  sticks  a  trifle  longer  than  the 
length  given,  to  allow  for  slight  errors  in  bending  the  bows 
5 


82 


Spring 


and  for  protruding  ends.  Next  select  the  best  piece  of  wood 
you  have  for  the  bow,  and  trim  it  so  that  it  will  bend  easily 
and  evenly  into  the  required  form.  Make  the  bow  five 
feet  long.  At  the  exact  middle  of  the  bow,  lash  the  longest 
upright  stick  or  spine  (Fig.  51).  Use  strong  waxed  thread 


FIG.  51. — Cannibal  Kite  Sticks  in  Position. 


and  tie  in  square  knots.  (See  Fig.  122,  Chapter  XIII.) 
Seven  and  one-half  inches  from  the  top  of  the  spine  make 
a  mark,  and  at  the  mark  bind  the  spine  to  the  stretcher 

(Fig.  SO- 

Now  bend  the  bow  until  the  two  ends  cross  the 
stretcher  at  the  two  extreme  points  marked  on  it,  fasten 
the  bow  in  this  position  and  bind  the  ends  of  the  other 
sticks  to  the  bow  in  their  proper  order,  as  marked  out 


FlG.  52.— Cannibal  Kite.     Bow  Bent 

on  the  measure  stick,  five  and  one-half  inches  from  the 
end  marks  for  the  two  short  sticks.  The  next  ribs  are 
each  six  and  one-half  inches  from  the  short  ones,  and  the 
longest  ribs  six  and  one-half  inches  from  the  last,  and  six 
inches  from  the  middle  stick  or  spine  (Fig.  52).  Make  an- 
other bow  of  good  spruce  wood  a  trifle  shorter  than  the 


Malay  and  Other  Tailless  Kites          83 


first,  and  lash  the  middle  of  this  last  bow  to  the  middle 
stick  or  spine  at  a  point  six  and  one-half  inches  below  the 
first  bow.  At  a  point  six  and  one-quarter  inches  below  the 
first  bow  make  the  lower  bow  fast  to  the  two  longest  ribs. 
At  a  point  five  and  one-half  inches  below  the  top  bow  make 
the  lower  one  fast  to  the  next  pair  of  ribs.  (See  Fig.  53.) 


FIG.  53. — Cannibal  Kite.     Reverse  bow  bent  and  fastened  in  place. 

Use  the  greatest  of  care  during  this  process,  and  see 
that  you  keep  the  ribs  and  spine  at  exact  right  angles  with 
the  temporary  stretcher  or  measure-stick.  At  a  distance 
of  three  and  a  quarter  inches  below  the  top  bow,  bind  the 
bottom  bow  to  the  two  shorter  ribs.  Then  bring  the  ends 
up  slightly  to  a  point  on  the  top  bow  about  three  inches  be- 
yond the  juncture  of  the  short  rib  and  the  bow,  lash  it 


FIG.  54.— Cannibal  Kite.    First  bottom  bow  in  place. 


securely  in  place  and  then  cut  off  the  protruding  ends. 
Make  two  more  bow  sticks,  each  about  half  the  thickness 
and  half  the  length  of  the  first  one  described,  and  with  your 
strong  waxed  thread  bind  the  two  ends  crossed  on  the  bot- 
tom end  of  the  spine  stick.  Then  firmly  bind  the  ends  of 
the  first  pair  of  ribs  in  place,  and  bind  the  bottom  bows  to 


84 


Spring 


the  remaining  ribs  at  points  nine,  seven,  and  four  and  one- 
half  inches  respectively  below  the  top  bow,  and  to  the  top 
bow  at  the  point  four  and  one-half  inches  below  where  the 


FIG.  55.— Cannibal  Kite.     Frame  Completed. 


latter  crossed  the  temporary  stretcher.  Cut  off  the  prrv 
trading  ends,  and  the  temporary  stretcher  may  now  be 
removed,  and  your  frame  will  have  the  form  of  Fig.  55. 

Kite  Covering. 

Of  course  it  is  admitted  that  silk  is  the  ideal  covering 
for  a  kite,  but  silk  costs  money,  and  that  is  an  article  usually 
absent  from  the  museum  concealed  in  a  boy's  pocket.  But 
for  big  kites  common  silesia,  such  as  is  used  in  dress  linings, 
is  an  excellent  substitute.  We  will  suppose,  however,  this 
to  be  a  paper  kite. 

How  to  Cover  the  Cannibal. 

Spread  your  paper  smoothly  on  the  floor.  Lay  your 
frame  on  the  paper  and  hold  it  in  place  by  some  paper- 
weights,  books,  or  other  handy  weights.  With  a  sharp 
pair  of  shears  cut  the  paper  into  the  form  of  the  frame, 
leaving  just  sufficient  margin  to  turn  over  and  paste. 

About  every  six  inches  make  a  cut  from  the  outer 
edge  to  the  frame.  When  this  is  done,  you  can  begin  past- 
ing, using  good  flour  paste  and  pasting  one  section  at  a 
time,  pressing  each  down  with  a  towel  until  it  adheres 
firmly. 


Malay  and  Other  Tailless  Kites          85 


The  Belly  Band. 

Attach  each  end  of  a  piece  of  string,  about  six  inches 
long,  to  the  bow  each  side  of  the  spine.  Fasten  another 
string  to  this,  and  connect  it  with  the  spine  where  the  mid- 
dle bow  crosses.  This  string  should  be  between  eight  and 
nine  inches  long.  Attach  the  kite  string  to  the  bellyband 
at  a  point  about  three  inches  from  the  top  loop  (Fig.  56). 


FIG.  56.— The  Great  Cannibal  Kite. 

These  are  approximate  figures  for  a  kite  of  the  dimen. 
sions  described,  but  each  kite  varies  so  that  the  flier  must 
by  experiment  find  the  proper  manner  of  adjusting  the 
string  of  the  belly-band. 

Mr.  W.  C.  Bixby  after  some  difficulty  procured  one  of 
these  kites  from  some  natives  and  gave  a  short  description 
of  it  in  Harpers  Young  People  of  April  15,  1884.  His  kite 
had  a  spread  of  thirteen  feet  and  a  height  of  thirty-four  and 
one-half  inches. 


86  Spring 

For  a  fair-weather  kite  for  tandem  teams  the  "  cannibal " 
should  excel  the  short,  dumpy  Eddy  or  the  Holland  kite. 
Possibly  it  will  never  be  a  favorite  in  the  East,  where  strong 
winds  blow,  but  it  should  fly  beautifully  in  the  central  parts 
of  this  country. 

A  Chinese  Butterfly  Kite. 

The  Aeronautical  Annual,  published  in  Boston  by  W.  B. 
Clarke,  is  really  a  kite-flier's  magazine  and  it  is  edited  by  an 
enthusiastic  kite-flier,  Mr.  James  Means.  When  this  gen- 
tleman was  attending  the  Centennial  Exhibition  at  Philadel- 
phia, he  saw  in  the  Chinese  exhibit  a  tailless  butterfly  kite 
which  he  has  since  flown  with  great  success.  The  form  of 
this  butterfly  kite  so  nearly  approaches  that  of  the  Wing 
and  Wing  that  there  is  scarcely  room  for  doubt  that  with 
longer  booms  the  latter  kite  will  also  fly  without  a  tail, 
which  will  add  immeasurably  to  its  popularity. 

Mr.  Means  has  had  great  success  with  double  kites,  that 
is,  two  or  three  kites  one  above  the  other  with  one  spine, 
boom,  or  middle  stick  to  answer  for  all.  Mr.  C.  H.  Lanson, 
of  Portland,  Me.,  uses  two  Malay  kites  with  only  one  back- 
bone. 

It  would  be  well  for  all  boys  who  enter  into  this  sport 
to  make  experiments  in  this  line.  Ther^  can  be  scarcely 
a  doubt  that  a  double  Cannibal  kite  would  be  a  grand 
flier. 

Messrs.  William  H.  Pickering,  Albert  A.  Merrill,  and 
James  Means,  the  Executive  Committee  of  the  Boston 
Aeronautical  Society,  offer  five  prizes  for  kite-fliers  to 
compete  for.  Here  is  a  chance  for  some  bright  American 
boy,  some  youthful  Ben  Franklin,  to  distinguish  himself. 
The  writer  is  unable  to  state  what  the  prizes  are,  but  the 
real  value  of  such  a  prize  lies  in  the  glory  of  winning  it, 


Malay  and  Other  Tailless  Kites          87 

and  there  is  no  good  reaso^why  a  boy  should  not  win  any 
or  all  of  them. 

The  McAdie-Hammon  California  Barrel  Kite. 

From  the  latest  reports  from  the  Pacific  it  would  appear 
that  our  Far  West  does  not  intend  to  be  left  behind  in  kite 
building  and  they  are  now  flying  a  paper  barrel  with  a  bow- 
sprit in  place  of  a  belly-band,  the  description  of  which  I 
must  quote  from  the  San  Francisco  Chronicle. 

"  For  some  months  past  W.  H.  Hammon  and  A.  G.  Mc- 
Adie,  of  the  United  States  Weather  Bureau,  have  been  ex- 
perimenting with  a  great  variety  of  sizes  and  shapes  in 
kites,  in  the  hope  of  finding  one  that  will  safely  carry  an 
aluminum  thermograph  to  a  height  of  1,000  feet,  so  that  the 
instrument  may  record,  and,  when  returned  to  earth,  inform 
them  of  the  condition  of  the  atmosphere  far  above  the 
house  tops.  From  some  such  observations  they  would  be 
able  to  foretell  many  of  the  pranks  of  the  weather,  but  their 
service  in  this  line  would  be  of  most  value  to  shipping,  as 
the  fact  that  a  fog  was  coming  in  could  be  ascertained  so 
long  before  its  arrival  as  to  give  ample  time  for  warning 
every  ship  in  the  bay  of  the  danger  which  threatened  mov- 
ing vessels. 

"  On  Tuesday  Hammon  and  McAdie  tried  a  queerly 
shaped  apparatus,  which  rose  into  the  air  with  such  a  re- 
markable willingness  as  to  highly  elate  its  inventors.  In 
appearance  the  new  kite  bears  a  close  resemblance  to  a 
paper  barrel,  with  bowsprit  projecting  from  one  end. 

Its  form  is  cylindrical.  It  is  about  four  feet  long  and 
two  feet  in  diameter.  It  is  made  up  of  four  very  light 
hoops,  and  braced  together  with  thin  strips  of  wood.  The 
twelve-inch  space  between  the  pair  of  hoops  at  either  end 
is  covered  with  a  collar  of  paper,  and  the  string  by  which 


88  Spring 

the  kite  is  held  is  attached  to  a  stick  which  passes  diago 
nally  through  the  inside  of  the  cylinder  from  end  to  end, 
projecting  from  that  end  nearest  the  operator.  The  ar- 
rangement is  something  of  a  modification  of  the  Australian 
kite,  invented  by  Professor  Hargrave,  but  a  wonderful  im- 
provement over  his  apparatus,  as  shown  by  Tuesday's  test. 
Hammon  and  McAdie  worked  on  their  new  kite  for  some 
weeks  before  giving  it  a  trial,  and  as  they  have  met  with 
many  disappointments  expected  little  else  when  they  hoisted 
their  paper  barrel.  The  trial  took  place  in  the  ten-acre  lot 
just  north  of  the  German  Hospital,  and  there  were  fifty  or 
sixty  boys  of  the  neighborhood  on  hand  to  guy  the  invent- 
ors had  their  latest  device  proved  a  fizzle.  McAdie  held 
the  odd-looking  object,  and  Hammon  walked  off  with  the 
string  tied  to  the  bowsprit  in  his  hand.  He  looked  ahead 
of  him  to  see  that  there  were  no  boys  over  which  to  stumble 
and  cried  out : 

"<  All  right,  McAdie!' 

"  McAdie  let  go  the  kite,  Hammon  ran  and  the  new. 
fangled  kite  soared  up  into  the  air,  not  so  gracefully,  but 
with  less  apparent  effort  than  a  sea-gull  shows  as  it  flits 
across  the  waters  of  the  bay.  For  a  few  minutes  Hammon 
had  all  he  could  do  to  let  out  string,  but  McAdie,  who  was 
at  leisure  after  the  hoisting,  gazed  at  the  object  of  their  labor 
with  a  delighted  smile  and  yelled,  *  Eureka!'  while  the 
small  boys  cheered  the  artificial  bird  on  its  upward  flight 

"  In  the  air  the  body  of  the  kite  maintains  a  horizontal 
position,  and  the  bowsprit  attachment,  of  course,  points 
downward.  Although  at  Tuesday's  trial  the  new  kite  did 
not  rise  to  as  high  an  altitude  as  have  some  of  the  Malay 
or  flat  kites  which  the  weather  men  have  experimented 
with,  it  carried  the  string  which  held  it  to  an  angle  much 
nearer  a  perpendicular  than  any  of  the  others  have.  This 


Malay  and  Other  Tailless  Kites          89 

tendency  of  the  new  kite  to  stand  more  nearly  over  its 
anchor,  when  in  the  air,  leads  to  the  belief  that  ultimately 
it  will  be  an  easy  matter  to  send  the  kite  up  1,000  feet. 

"  McAdie  recently  informed  the  Chief  of  the  Weather 
Bureau  at  Washington,  Willis  Moore,  that  he  would  sur- 
prise him  some  day  by  sending  him  in  a  report  of  the  at. 
mospherical  conditions  existing  1,000  feet  above  San  Fran- 
cisco. He  and  Hammon  propose  that  the  San  Francisco 
Bureau  shall  be  the  first  to  officially  record  such  observa- 
tions." 


CHAPTER    VI 


AERIAL  FISH  AND  DRAGONS 

WHEN  a  gang  of  kites  is  sent  up  tandem,  each  kite  helps 
to  lift  the  string  and  prevent  it  from  sagging.  Conse- 
quently not  only  flags  but  all  manner  of  queer  things  can  be 
attached  to  the  main  kite-string.  Paper  streamers  of  bright 

colors  and  large  pa- 
per Japanese  fish  and 
dragons  weigh  very 
little,  and  will  make 
a  display  most  won- 
derful to  behold. 
The  author  attached 
a  Japanese  fish 
about  five  feet  long 
to  the  string  of  an 
old-fashioned  hexagonal  kite,  the  latter  was  about  three  feet 
high.  With  the  aid  of  a  good  wind  the  kite  kept  that  great 
fish  flapping  up  aloft  all  day. 

Paper  Dragon  or  Fish  for  Kite  Strings. 
With  a  pencil  mark  out  a  pattern  on  a  piece  of  wrapping 
paper,  and  after  you  have  secured  the  shape  you  desire,  cut 
it  out  with  the  scissors.  Take  some  red  or  yellow  tissue 
paper  and  cut  it  according  to  the  brown-paper  pattern.  You 
will  see  by  the  diagrams  (Figs.  57  and  58)  that  the  mouth 
should  be  very  large.  This  is  because  a  hoop  is  pasted  in 


FlGS.  57,  58. —Paper  Dragon  and  Paper  Fish. 


Aerial  Fish  and  Dragons 


the  mouth  to  admit  the  breeze  which  is  to  inflate  the  dragon 
or  fish.  After  cutting  out  two  tissue-paper  dragons,  ac- 
cording to  your  pattern  (Figs.  59  and  60),  paste  the  edges 
together,  except  at  the  mouth  (Fig.  61),  which  must  be 
left  open.  When  the  paste  is  perfectly  dry  take  the  scissors 
and  cut  slits  of  about  half  an  inch  long  all  around  the  mouth 
opening  (Fig.  64).  For  the  hoop  use  any  light  elastic 
wood  that  you  can  bend  into  a  circular  form.  Make  a  hoop 
of  this  material  the  exact  size  of  the  mouth  opening  of  the 


FIG.  59. —One-half  of  Paper 
Skin. 


FIG.   60.— The   Other   Half 
with  Flaps  for  Pasting. 


FIG.  61.— Showing  the  Two 
Halves  Partly  Pasted. 


dragon  or  fish  (Fig.  63),  and  then  paste  it  in  by  folding 
the  parts  divided  by  the  slits  over  the  hoop  as  in  Fig.  65, 
and  allow  it  to  dry.  When  it  is  dry  attach  strings  to 
the  hoop  from  opposite  sides  and  let  the  loops  form  a  sort 
of  belly-band  (Figs.  57,  58  and  65). 

The  fish  will  then  be  ready  to  be  attached  to  the  kite- 
string,  and  when  it  is  aloft  it  will  swell  out  like  a  balloon 
and  look  very  comical  in  the  air.  (Fig.  46,  Chap.  IV.)  If 
a  heavy  black  line  is  painted  on  each  side  of  the  head  to 
represent  the  mouth,  and  two  big  black  circles  to  represent 
the  eyes,  it  will  add  greatly  to  the  effect.  (Figs.  57  and  58 
show  how  to  paint  the  dragon  and  fish.) 


92 


Spring 


Pennants 

Can  be  made  by  simply  cutting  a  triangle  from  colored  tis- 
sue paper  and  pasting  the  edges  together,  as  described  with 
the  fish.  A  hoop  must  also  be  fastened  in  at  the  larger 


Fio.  6«.— The  Paper. 


Fio.  63.— The  Hoop. 


FIG.  64.— Hoop  in  Place. 


FIG,  65.—  Finished  Pen- 
nant. 


'Hoop  BASTED  IN 
AHP  »*W-     BAND  ATTACH*  D» 


PENNANTS. 


end  and  a  belly-band  arranged  as  described  in  the  case  of 
the  fish.    (See  Figs.  62,  63,  64  and  65.) 

Comical  Figures. 

Not  only  reptiles  and  beasts,  but  men  and  women  can  be 
made  in  the  same  manner  and   with  little  difficulty.     Use 


Aerial  Fish  and  Dragons  93 

pink  paper  for  the  hands  and  face  of  the  men  and  women 
and  put  the  hoop  in  the  top  of  their  heads,  as  shown  in  the 
accompanying  diagrams  of  dragon  and  fish. 

A  good  tandem  team  of  five  or  six  kites  will  support 
quite  a  number  of  these  queer  devices  and  will  reward 
your  trouble  with  no  end  of  fun.  You  need  not  fear 
that  your  work  will  be  unappreciated,  for  when  the  passers- 
by  see  fish,  alligators,  and  men  and  women  bobbing  around 
in  the  sky  they  not  only  will  stop  and  look,  but  will  linger 
and  look  again  and  again  ;  and  as  the  pay  of  all  who  appear 
before  the  public  is  public  applause  you  will  be  well  paid. 

A    Live-Man    Kite. 

In  the  "  American  Boy's  Handy  Book,"  there  is  described 
a  man  kite,  but  since  then  a  real  live-man  kite  has  appeared 
in  the  person  of  Mr.  Otto  Lilienthal  of  Berlin.  His  kite 
consists  of  two  wooden  frames  covered  with  cotton 
twill,  or  in  other  words,  two  cloth-covered  kites  one  above 
the  other.  These  kites  are  capable  of  being  folded  up 
when  not  in  use.  Mr.  Lilienthal  jumps  off  of  high  places 
and  then  by  means  of  his  kite  sails  a  long  distance.  From 
a  hill  a  hundred  feet  high  he  can  sail  like  a  flying  squirrel 
about  seven  hundred  feet.  See  illustration  from  a  photo- 
graph of  a  live-man  kite  in  Chapter  IV. 

If  Mr.  Lilienthal  would  build  himself  a  number  of  big 
Cannibal  kites  and  send  up  a  tandem  of  them,  he  might 
take  his  wings  with  him  and  go  up  with  the  kites  five  or  six 
hundred  feet.  From  such  a  perch  he  could  easily  soar 
nearly  a  mile!  Or  since  his  wings  are  really  kites,  he 
might,  if  he  is  brave  enough,  and  no  one  doubts  his  cour- 
age, fasten  a  string  to  himself  and  go  up  like  any  other 
kite  as  far  as  he  could,  and  then  cast  loose  the  string  and 
sail  down.  But  seriously,  the  wonderful  advancement  in 


94  Spring 


kites  and  flying  machines  is  so  rapid  that  there  is  reason  to 
believe  that  some  such  feat  as  suggested  will  actually  be 
performed  before  what  has  been  written  here  can  go 
through  the  printer's  hands  and  come  out  in  the  form  of  a 
book.  Do  not  try  to  forestall  these  experiments.  Give  the 
gentlemen  already  in  the  field  a  chance  first,  and  then  the 
author  of  this  book  will  not  feel  that  he  is  responsible  to 
parents  for  the  broken  heads  or  limbs  of  his  boy  readers. 


CHAPTER  VII 

HOOPS  AND  WHEELS 

The  Old  and  the  New  Fangled  Hoops— How  to  Trundle  a  Wheel— Sport 
with  Tin-Can  Covers. 

SEVERAL  years  ago  an  effort  was  made  to  make  wire  or 
iron  hoops  popular.  They  were  neatly  made,  and  propelled 
by  an  iron  hook,  which  kept  the  hoop  upright  and  pushed 
it  along  in  place  of  being  propelled  by  a  succession  of 
blows,  as  in  the  old-fashioned  primitive  barrel  hoop.  But 
the  very  points  that  the  manufacturers  thought  would  rec- 
ommend these  toys  to  the  small  boys,  eventually  caused 
their  downfall  and  the  substitution  for  them  of  a  wooden 
hoop,  much  neater  than  the  clumsy  barrel  hoop,  and  bet- 
ter adapted  to  the  boy's  ideas  than  the  metal  one. 

Like  the  former,  it  is  propelled  by  means  of  a  short 
stick,  with  which  the  boy  belabors  his  toy.  This  has  re- 
tained its  popularity  for  the  last  twenty-five  years.  Various 
attempts  have  been  made  to  improve  on  it  by  adding  bells 
and  metal  jinglers  of  odd  shapes,  producing  what  was  ex- 
pected to  be  pleasant  and  popular  noises ;  but  no  boy  out 
of  kilts  will  sacrifice  the  dignity  of  his  knickerbockers  by 
causing  them  to  chase  after  such  a  baby  rattle.  So  these 
elaborate  affairs  are  relegated  to  the  little  girls  and  kilted 
boys,  while  the  sturdy  legs  of  the  real  small  boy  run  tire- 
lessly after  the  old  wooden  hoop. 


Spring 


A  Reminiscence. 

The  greatest  triumph  of  my  hoop-time  days  was  when 
my  parents  bought  some  sugar  hogsheads,  which  were  cut 
up  for  kindling  -  wood.  I  secured  the  largest  of  the 
hoops,  which  stood  some  distance  above  my  head,  a;id  from 
one  of  the  staves  of  the  hogshead  made  myself  a  beautiful 
club  to  hammer  my  giant  with.  Then  I  sallied  forth,  and 


FIG.  66.—  Hoop-time. 

when  I  bore  down  on  a  street  full  of  my  play-mates  rolling 
this  giant  hoop  in  front  of  me,  all  the  metal  store-hoops  and 
wooden  barrel  hoops  ceased  rolling,  while  the  boys  stood 
respectfully  aside  to  let  me  pass.  It  was  a  great  triumph, 
and  was  talked  about  long  afterward  as  the  lads  gathered 
on  the  sidewalk  to  play  Jack  and  the  Candles  in  the  dusk 
of  a  summer  evening.  There  was  one  freckled-face  boy 
who  tried  to  mar  my  triumph  by  securing  a  big  cart  wheel, 
but  he  only  caused  a  laugh,  because  he  could  not  manage 
his  heavy-spoked  and  hubbed  hoop,  which  insisted  upon 


Hoops  and  Wheels 


97 


going  its  own  gait  and  taking  its  own  direction,  in  spite  of 
the  severest  clubbing,  to  the  great  alarm  of  passing  pedes- 
trians. But  small 

Wheels 

are  very  popular  during  hoop-time,  and  make  an  interest- 
ing  toy,  requiring  more  skill  to  guide  than  the  ordinary 
hoop.  To  trundle  a  wheel  the  boy  uses  a  long  stick,  one 
end  of  which  he  places  under 
the  hub,  and  with  which  he 
both  pushes  and  guides  the 
wheel  in  a  very  interesting 
and  skilful  manner,  as  he  runs 
after  it. 

Tin-Can  Cover. 

Generally  it  is  the  top  of  a 
big,  old  » fashioned  blacking- 
box  that  is  used  for  this  pur- 
pose. First,  the  boy  finds  the 
centre  of  the  box-lid,  after  a 
manner  known  to  himself,  but 
not  recorded  in  any  work  on 
geometry.  Next,  he  places 
the  lid  on  a  board,  and,  with  an  old  rusty  nail  for  a 
puncher,  and  half  of  a  brick  or  a  cobble-stone  for  a 
hammer,  he  drives  the  nail  through  the  centre  of  the  tin. 
From  the  mysterious  depths  of  his  pocket  he  produces 
about  a  yard  of  top-cord,  and,  putting  one  end  of  the  string 
in  his  mouth,  he  brings  the  ravelled  end  to  a  point,  which 
he  threads  through  the  hole  in  the  box-cover.  At  the 
other  end  he  makes  a  big,  round  hard-knot,  and  pulls  the 
string  through  until  the  knot  rests  against  the  cover. 

This  accomplished,  he  starts  to  run,  and,  by  the  exercise 
7 


FIG.  67.— Trundling  a  Wheel 


Spring 


of  his  art,  he  causes  the  tin  to  trundle  on  the  side-walk 

along  side  of  him. 

There  are  no  very  new  things  in  hoops,  and  if  any  man 

should   attempt    to    bring    his    scientific    experience  and 

knowledge  to  bear  upon  the 
subject,  and  invent  a  new 
toy  in  that  line,  he  would 
find  it  a  difficult  operation 
when  he  attempted  to  per- 
suade  the  conservative 
small  boy  to  adopt  his  in- 
vention. What  a  boy  uses, 
it  seems,  must  be  what  has 
been  tried  for  centuries  by 

FIG.  68.— Racing  with  the  Tin  Wheel. 

his  predecessors  and  proved 

faithful,  and  any  change  in  form  must  be  the  gradual  and 
almost  imperceptible  growth  of  natural  evolution,  caused 
by  the  change  of  surroundings  or,  as  their  parents  would 
say,  environments. 


CHAPTER  VIII 
HOW  TO  MAKE  THE    SUCKER 

Leather  Suckers  and    Live   Suckers  —  Turtle-Fishing  with    Suckers. 

A  PIECE  of  sole-leather,  three  or  four  inches  square,  is 
the  first  thing  necessary  in  order  to  make  a  sucker.  A 
sharp  knife  is  the  next  thing,  and  a  bright  boy  who  can 
use  the  knife  without  cutting  his  fingers  is  the  third. 
Let  the  boy  trim  the  corners  of  the  leather  until  the  edges 
are  circular  in  form,  or,  as  he  would  say,  round.  Lay  the 
leather  on  a  flat  surface,  and  pare  or  bevel  off  the  edge 
until  it  is  thin  enough  to  be  called  a  paper  edge. 

Now  the  boy  may  bore  a  small  hole  through  the  centre 
of  the  sucker,  just  large  enough  to  force  the  end  of  a  good 
strong  top-string  through.  Near  the  end  of  the  top-string, 
which  has  just  been  pushed  through  the  leather,  tie  a  good 
hard-knot,  and  make  it  big  enough  to  prevent  the  possi- 
bility of  its  slipping  back  through  the  leather.  It  is  now 
only  necessary  to  pull  the  string  through  the  leather 
until  the  knot  fits  against  the  under  part  of  the  sucker, 
and  to  cut  off  the  superfluous  string  beyond  the  knot. 

How  to  Use  the  Sucker. 

Soak  the  leather  in  water  until  it  is  very  soft  and 
"  flabby."  Find  a  loose  brick,  place  the  sucker  on  top  of 
the  brick,  and,  with  one  foot,  press  it  as  flat  as  possible. 
Then  slowly  and  carefully  try  to  lift  the  sucker  by  the 


100 


Spring 


FIG.  69. 


FIG.  70. 


FIG.  71. 


FIG.  72. 


FIGS.  69,  70,  71,  72. — How  to  Make  a  Sucker. 


string.  Air  is  heavy,  as 
your  school-books  will 
tell  you,  and  it  will 
press  so  hard  all  around 
the  leather,  that,  if  your 
sucker  is  a  good  one, 
you  may  lift  the  brick 
before  the  sucker  will 
loosen  its  hold. 

There  is  a  fish  in  the 
Atlantic  Ocean  that  the 
author  has  seen  and 
sketched  from  life, 
which  has  an  arrange- 
ment on  top  of  its  head 
made  on  the  same  prin- 
ciple. Fishermen  call 
it  the  "shark -sucker," 
although  its  proper 
name  is  the  remora. 
When  the  remora  wants 
to  travel  fast,  and  is 
too  lazy  to  do  so  by  his 
own  exertions,  he  steals 
up  to  some  terrible  old 
shark  and  noiselessly 
and  gently  flattens  his 
sucker  on  the  shark's 
belly  or  side,  and  there 
he  sticks  fast.  The 
shark  may  be  a  terrible 
man-eater  or,  worse 
than  that  for  the  marine 


How  to  Make  the  Sucker  ior 


world,  a  voracious  fish-eater,  but  it  matters  little  to  the 
remora,  he  is  safer  sticking  to  the  shark's  body  than  any- 
where else,  and  does  not  need  to  even  wag  his  tail,  but  goes 
tearing  through  the  water  as  fast  as  the  shark  can  swim. 

A  Live  Sucker  for  Turtles. 

This  remora  has  been  used,  according  to  some  French 
writers,  to  catch  turtles.  A  line  having  been  fastened  to  a 
rubber  ring  around  the  remora's  tail,  the  fish  is  allowed 
to  swim  off,  and  when  he  sees  a  turtle  he  sticks  fast  to  him, 
and  the  fisherman  pulls  both  in.  So  it  may  be  that  to  the 
remora  belongs  the  honor  of  suggesting  the  boy's  sucker. 


CHAPTER  IX 
UP  IN  THE  AIR  ON  STILTS 

How  to  Make  all  Kinds— Stilt-Walking  Shepherds— Hand  or  Arm-Stilts 
are  Best  for  Beginners — Queer  Stilts  Used  in  Various  Countries. 

THE  other  day  a  magician  appeared  to  me.  Instead 
of  a  peaked  cap  he  wore  a  derby  hat,  and,  in  place  of  the 
long  black  gown,  his  garb  was  the  ordinary  suit  of  a  New 
York  man.  There  was  nothing  mysterious  in  his  manner, 
but,  with  a  smiling  face,  he  looked  into  my  studio  and  said : 
"  The  boys  want  a  new  book,  and  put  in  something  on 

stilts." 

Tom's  Wooden  Legs. 

I  believe  in  magic.  Let  me  try  it  on  myself  and  see  if  I 
can  bring  back  a  scene  of  my  youth  in  Kentucky. 

Ab-ra-ca-dab-ra  Stilts ! 

Who  is  that  pale-faced,  curly  haired  boy  straddling  over 
the  blue-grass  lawn  on  long,  wooden  legs  ?  Why,  it's  my 
old  playfellow,  Tom  !  Hello,  Tom  !  Where  did  you  get 
those  stilts?  But  what  a  foolish  question!  I  might  know 
what  the  answer  would  be :  "  Made  'em." 

It  took  me  all  one  Saturday  to  finish  a  pair  of  wooden 
legs  like  Tom's.  I  begged  a  pair  of  Aunt  Annie's  clothes- 
poles  for  the  sticks,  and  sawed  them  off  the  proper  length, 
then,  with  my  jack-knife,  I  shaped  the  handles  and  smoothed 
them  with  a  piece  of  sand-paper.  Next  I  took  a  sound  piece 
of  two-inch  pine  board,  and  marked  with  a  piece  of  soft 


Up  in  the  Air  on  Stilts 


103 


brick  the  outline  of  one  block. 
With  a  hand-saw  I  soon  cut 
this  out,  and,  placing  it  on  the 
remains  of  the  two-inch  plank, 
outlined  a  duplicate  block. 
After  this  the  blocks  were 
smoothed  off  with  my  knife. 

Hand  Stilts. 

I  then  heated  a  small  piece 
of  iron  and  bored  holes  for 
the  nails  and  screws,  and  fas- 
tened the  blocks  on  to  the 
sticks.  We  called  these 
"  hand  -  stilts,"  because  the 
sticks  are  just  long  enough 
above  the  block  to  reach  the 
hands  of  the  walker.  (See 

Fig.  730 

In  those  days  there  were 
only  a  few  of  us  who  had  money 
in  our  pockets,  but  that  is 
about  the  only  thing  that  was 
not  there — bits  of  string,  mar- 
bles, tops,  leather  slings,  with 
old  nails  as  "  hummers "  to 
throw  from  them,  jack-knives, 
occasionally  one  with  a  whole 
blade,  "  rubber"  buttons  for 
finger-rings,  in  all  stages  of 
manufacture,  with  sand-paper, 
buckskin  and  pumice-stone 
for  polishing  them,  "  lucky 


FIG.  73.— Tom's  Wooden  Legs. 


104 


Spring 


stones  "  from  the  head  of  a  fish,  to  make  us  certain  winners 
at  marbles;  two  or  three  buck-eyes  for  ballast,  fish-lines, 

hooks  and  sinkers, 
and  an  apple  or  two 
for  lunch  between 
meals.  These  were 
some  of  the  things 
that  were  always  in 
our  pockets. 

In  the  twilight,  af- 
ter tea,  Tom  and  I 
sauntered  out  on  our 
hand  -  stilts  to  visit 
some  boys  on  the  next 
street.  I  am  afraid 
our  visit  was  not  alto- 
gether prompted  by 
friendship ;  we  knew 
that  those  boys  did 
not  dare  use  straps 
over  their  feet  for 
fear  of  a  fall,  and  that 
the  sticks  of  their 
stilts  were  awkward 
and  long,  poking  up 
from  behind  their 
shoulders,  and  for 
reasons  of  timidity 
the  blocks  were  set  low.  So  we  wandered  over  to)  show 
off  and  let  those  "  girl  boys  "  (Fig.  75)  just  see  what  reck- 
less,  wild  fellows  we  were. 


FIG.  74. 


FIG.  75. 


Up  in  the  Air  on  Stilts  105 


A  Short-Lived  Triumph. 

As  we  approached,  the  boys  on  the  next  street  lined  up 
against  a  brick  wall,  and  stood  watching  us  swagger  by, 
but  our  triumph  was  short-lived,  for,  as  we  neared  the 
corner,  we  met  Dick,  another  playmate,  and  he  was  not 
walking  on  the  side-walk,  but  striding  over  the  uneveh 
limestone-paved  street,  with  his  hands  carelessly  thrust 
into  his  pockets,  and  his  mouth  puckered  up,  whistling, 
"  Way  Down  South  in  Dixie." 

Was  he  on  stilts  ?  Of  course  he  was ;  but  he  not  only 
had  straps  over  his  feet,  but  straps  on  his  legs,  and  the 
sticks  only  came  to  the  knee,  leaving  the  hands  free.  He 
could  not  even  see  us  until  we  hailed  him  with  "  Hello, 
Dick  ! " 

Then  he  only  stopped  whistling  long  enough  to  say, 
"  Hello,  fellows,"  and  continued  on  his  way. 

We  watched  him  disappear  down  the  street  and 
nothing  was  said  until  he  strode  out  of  sight.  Then  Tom 
remarked:  "Ain't  Dick  stuck  up?  Poo!  we  can  make 
stilts  like  his ;  that's  nothing  ! " 

"  I'll  bet  we  can,"  I  replied,  to  which  Tom  nodded  his 
head  by  way  of  assent,  and,  as  a  smile  spread  over  his  face, 
said :  "  Well,  I  don't  care ;  we  can  lick  salt  off  of  those 
fellows*  heads,  anyhow,"  referring  to  the  "  girl  boys,"  and 
to  the  fact  that  our  stilt-blocks  were  enough  higher  than 
theirs  to  render  this  feat  possible. 

The  Japs  Use  Stilts. 

No  one  knows  when  stilts  were  first  introduced  by 
mankind,  nor  for  what  purpose  they  were  invented.  I 
never  heard  of  an  American  Indian  walking  on  them,  but 
away  off  in  Japan  the  little  shaven-headed  boys  walk  on 


io6 


Spring 


bamboo  stilts  of  quaint  design  (Fig.  77).     The  blocks  are 
mortised  on  to  the  sticks  and  bound  in  place  by  withes. 

The  blocks  project 
backward,  instead 
of  sideways,  and  the 
little  Japs  hold  on 
by  their  big  toes 
(Fig.  76),  allowing 
the  stick  to  pass,  like 
a  sandal -band,  be- 
tween their  great 
and  their  smaller 
toes. 

I  would  not  rec- 
ommend this  style 
for  American  boys, 
as  I  hardly  think  the 
wearing  of  heavy 
shoes  is  a  proper 
preparation  of  the 
foot  for  such  uses. 


Tattooed  Stilt- 
Walkers. 


FIGS.  76  and  77.— The  Little  Japs'  Odd  Stilts. 


The  first  travel- 
lers who  visited  the 
Marquesas  Islands 

found  them  peopled  with  a  magnificent  race,  of  which  every 
member  was  an  athlete  ;  an  artistic  race  whose  beautiful 
clothes  lasted  until  death  put  an  end  to  the  wearer,  for  their 
costume  was  the  skin  with  which  the  Creator  covered 
their  bodies — but  which  the  islanders  had  beautifully  deco- 
rated with  tattooing,  from  the  crowns  of  their  heads  to  the 


Up  in  the  Air  on  Stilts 


107 


tips  of  their  toes.     One  of  the  chiefs,  when  measured,  was 
found  to  stand  six  feet  eight  inches  in  his  bare  feet. 

They  were  great  stilt-walkers,  and  went  through  per- 
formances which  would  excite  the  envy  of  any  modern 
acrobat.  They  ran  races,  jumped  and  danced  on  their 


FIG.  78.— Stilt  Walkers,  Marquesas  Islanders. 

beautifully  made  and  superbly  decorated  stilts,  and  thought 
it  great  fun  to  trip  each  other  up. 

In  place  of  straps  the  block  of  the  Marquesas  stilt 
curves  over  so  as  to  hold  the  foot.  They  used  hand-stilts 
like  those  of  the  Western  boys  (Fig.  78). 


Anti-Gadabouts. 

At  the  close  of  the  sixteenth  century  it  was  the  style 
in  Southern  Europe  for  the  women  to  wear,  under  their 
dresses,  stilts  which,  they  claimed,  gave  them  height  and 


io8 


Spring 


FIG.  79.— -Sixteenth  Century  Anti-Gadabouts. 


dignity  of  bearing- ; 
but  it  is  hinted  that 
their  fathers  and 
husbands  intro- 
duced the  style  so 
as  to  make  it  diffi- 
cult for  them  to 
walk,  and  cause 
them  to  stay  at 
home,  just  as  the 
Chinese  of  to-day 
keep  up  the  style  of 
cramping  and  de- 
forming their  wom- 
en's feet  to  prevent 
them  gadding  about. 
These  anti- gad- 
abouts of  the  six- 
teenth century  are 
all  too  heavy  and 
clumsy  for  Ameri- 
can boys,  but  a 
modification  of  the 
French  shepherd's 
stilts  are  the  very 
reverse,  and  might 
be  properly  called 
"  gadabouts." 

Shepherds  on 
Stilts. 

The  French  shep- 
herds,   perched    on 


Up  in  the  Air  on  Stilts 


109 


FIG.  80.— Shepherds  on  Stilts. 

their  long  wooden  sticks,  look  like  ungainly  storks,  but 
they  can  spy  a  sheep  when  a  man  on  the  ground  would  be 
unable  to  detect  him,  and  they  can  wade  a  stream  dry  shod, 
or,  rather,  with  dry  feet,  for  I  believe  they  wear  no  shoes. 

In  fact,  Dick's  stilts,  strapped  on  his  sturdy  legs  (Figs.  74 
and  81),  are  only  a 
modification  of  these 
shepherd's  wooden 
legs,  and,  if  we  give 
Dick  the  shepherd's 
long  cane  or  pole, 
and  shorten  the  dis- 
tance to  the  ground, 
we  have  a  pair  of 
gadabouts,  which, 
though  requiring 
some  skill  to  use, 
will  not  be  danger- 
ous, and  Will  admit  FIG.  Si.-Dick's  Leg  Stilts  with  Straps. 


no  Spring 


of   the  free  use  of  the  hands.     Gadabouts  are  sometimes 
used  in  Brooklyn,  but  I  have  never  seen  them  in  New  York. 

Best  for  the  Boys. 

The  long-armed,  strapless  stilts  of  the  "girl  boys"  are 
first-rate  for  beginners.  The  hand-stilts  are  good  all-round 
walkers,  and  the  gadabouts  are  the  best  for  the  sturdy 
American  boys,  because  they  require  skill  in  their  manu- 
facture and  use. 

They  develop  just  those  qualities  of  ingenuity  and  pluck 
that  have  made  us  the  nation  we  are.  Remember  that  you 
boys  of  to-day  are  the  men  of  to-morrow,  and  it  is  to  you 
that  we  must  leave  this  great  country  to  success  or  to  ruin, 
according  to  the  faculties  you  develop  now  while  you  are 
yet  boys. 

Trick  Stilt- Walking. 

While  I  was  a  member  of  the  gymnasium  at  Cincinnati, 
the  youngsters  were  intensely  interested  in  a  group  of 
professionals,  who  practised  there  during  the  winter 
months.  They  were  mostly  circus  men,  quite  gentlemanly 
sort  of  men,  not  at  all  what  people  generally  suppose  circus 
men  to  be. 

One  bald-headed  man,  of  particularly  dignified  and 
austere  looks  and  manners,  was  in  the  summer  time  a 
painted  clown  of  the  saw-dust  ring.  At  a  certain  hour  each 
day,  as  regular  as  a  clock,  this  bald-headed  man  appeared, 
and  strapped  a  pair  of  long  stilts  to  his  legs,  while  we 
looked  on  with  awe  at  the  dreadful  proceeding.  Then  he 
began  his  practice.  He  did  not  walk,  skip,  hop  or  jump. 
He  had  but  one  object  in  view,  but  one  ambition,  and  that 
was  to  do  the  inebriate  act,  although  he  was  a  man  who 
never  used  ardent  spirits.  So,  for  an  hour  or  more  each 
day,  he  hung  on  to  a  rope  suspended  from  the*  ceiling,  and 


Up  in  the  Air  on  Stilts  in 

swayed  his  body  around,  as  we  have  all  seen  the  clown  do 
at  the  circus,  when  he  comes  in  arid  pretends  to  become 
intoxicated  while  walking  on  stilts,  All  winter  the  bald- 
headed  man  practised  this  one  act,  and  the  Spring  birds 
had  begun  to  appear  before  he  dared,  without  keeping  a 
firm  hold  of  the  rope,  to  do  "  the  drop,"  as  he  called  the 
peculiar  limp  stagger  that  he  had  practised  all  winter. 

Since  then,  when  I  attend  a  circus,  and  the  ridiculous 
clown  appears  in  the  ring,  and  does  his  part  in  the  clown's 
peculiar  off-hand  manner,  I  forget  to  laugh,  for  I  am  lost  in 
wonder,  thinking  of  the  constant  study,  application,  and 
hard  work  that  he  must  have  gone  through,  in  order  that 
we  may  think  him  a  funny  old  fool.  This  incident  is  re- 
lated to  show  what  practice  it  takes  to  acquire  skill  in 
difficult  feats.  Few  boys  are  willing  to  devote  so  much 
time  and  thought  to  learn  anything,  and  certainly  not  to 
learn  one  trick  on  stilts. 

Skating  on  Stilts. 

Alfred  Moe  skates  on  stilts,  doing  the  inside  and  out- 
side edges  with  ease  and  grace.  He  cuts  a  figure  8,  and 
all  the  various  other  figures  well  known  to  skaters.  Moe 
began  his  public  career  as  a  roller-skater,  and  claims  to 
have  opened  the  first  roller-skating  rinks  in  this  country 
and  in  England.  He  evolved  the  idea  of  stilt-skating  in 
1868,  and  gave  his  first  performance  in  St.  Louis. 

From  my  observation  of  the  clown,  I  am  satisfied  that 
the  stilt-skater  must  have  done  some  hard  work  practicing 
before  he  dared  appear  in  public.  Such  things  are  novel- 
ties, but  not  suitable  to  the  ordinary  boy,  who,  if  he  be- 
comes expert  enough  to  run,  jump,  hop,  and  skip  on  his 
wooden  legs,  has  acquired  all  the  skill  that  is  necessary  to 
enjoy  the  fun  of  stilt-walking. 


112 


Spring 


Ocuya,  or  Giant  Dance. 

If  you  will  look  on  your  map  of  Africa,  just  below  the 
equator  and  between  longitude  11°  and  12°  east,  you  will 

see  where  the  mer- 
ry black  Aponos 
dwell,  a  very  honest, 
irresponsible,  light- 
headed set  of  sav- 
ages. For  several 
months  each  year 
this  tribe  does  noth- 
ing but  dance,  sing, 
and  drink  palm 
wine.  When  the 
wine  season  is  over 
they  settle  down  to 
ordinary  pursuits, 
and  would  find  no 
place  in  this  book  if 
it  were  not  for  the 
fact  that  one  of  their 
weird  dances  is  per- 
formed on  stilts. 

This  entertain- 
ment is  called  the 
Ocuya,  or  Giant 
Dance.  Ocuya  is 
made  of  wicker- 
work,  with  a  big 
wooden  head  and 
wooden  arms.  Mon- 

FIG.  82.— Ocuya,  the  Aponos'  Dance,  Africa.  key  skins  furnish  the 


Up  in  the  Air  on  Stilts 


head-dress,  and  a 
long  skirt  of  grass- 
cloth  hides  the  stilt- 
walker.  It  is  un- 
necessary to  add 
that  the  native  must 
be  a  skilful  stilt- 
walker  to  take  the 
part  of  Ocuya. 

New  Woman  on 
Stilts. 

According  to  the 
newspapers,  walk- 
ing on  stilts  is  the 
very  latest  fashion- 
able amusement  of 
the  "  new  woman  " 
in  London.  If  there 
is  any  truth  in  this 
statement,  it  is  safe 
to  say  that  it  will 
not  be  long  before 
you  boys  will  be 
called  upon  to  make 
stilts  for  your  sis- 
ters. There  can  be 
little  doubt  that  the 
time  is  coming  when 
a  book  written  for 
boys  will  be  the  only 
one  girls  will  read, 
or,  rather,  every 
8 


FIG.  83. 

(From  an  old  engraving  made  in  X779-) 


114  Spring 

book  will  be  written  for  young  people,  and  will  be  ad- 
dressed to  both  boys  and  girls.  Just  why  girls  should 
not  walk  on  stilts  or  engage  in  any  similar  sport  no  one 
yet  has  given  a  satisfactory  answer.  Twenty-five  years 
ago  the  boys  used  to  make  stilts  with  very  low  blocks  for 
their  sisters,  and  the  girls  seldom  would  use  them,  but 
insisted  upon  using  their  brothers'  high-blocked  stilts. 

Tomato-Can  Stilts. 

In  the  cities,  where  wood  is  scarce,  it  is  quite  pathetic  to 
see  the  boys  tramping  around  on  old  tomato-cans  for  stilts. 
The  tomato-cans  have  strings  tied  to  them  in  place  of 
poles,  and  these  strings  are  held  by  the  hands. 

Lath-Stilts. 

One  bright  boy,  on  Fourth  Avenue,  New  York  City,  has 
a  pair  of  stilts  made  of  old  laths,  from  the  ruins  of  some 
dismantled  house.  Three  laths  nailed  together  form  each 
stilt  pole,  and  the  blocks  are  made  of  a  graduated  lot  of 
pieces  of  lath  nailed  together. 

Now,  if  a  small  boy  in  the  tenement-house  district  can 
make  himself  a  good,  serviceable  pair  of  stilts  out  of  some 
old  laths,  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  boys  who  read 
this  book  will  be  able  to  find  material  and  tools  to  build 
themselves  beautiful  gadabouts. 


CHAPTER   X 
BAIT,   LIVE  AND  DEAD 

Salt-Water  Worms  that  Live  on  Land— Angle-Worms,  Hellgramites, 
Minnows,  Crawfish,  Grasshoppers,  Crickets,  Frogs,  and  "Lamp- 
ers"— How  to  Catch  and  How  to  Keep  Them. 

ALL  modern  naturalists  will  tell  you  how  long,  long 
ago  an  adventurous  marine  worm,  little  by  little,  accus- 
tomed himself  to  living  out  of  water,  until  at  length  he 
was  able  to  sustain  life  on  land,  so  long  as  there  was 
moisture  enough  to  keep  his  body  moist.  His  descendants 
throve  in  their  new  home,  and  multiplied  and  spread  all 
over  the  face  of  the  earth,  and  to-day  they  may  be  called 
land  animals,  although  they  still  breathe  as  a  leech  does, 
and  are  still  dependent  upon  water  in  the  form  of  moisture 
to  support  life.  In  a  dry  atmosphere  and  dry  earth  they 
die. 

All  day  long  these  busy  worms  eat  their  way  through 
the  earth,  and  grow  fat  on  the  food  on  which  they  live. 
With  no  eyes,  they  know  light  from  darkness ;  without 
noses,  they  can  smell  out  food  buried  in  the  earth  ;  without 
ears,  they  hear  the  approach  of  an  enemy,  and  every  ring 
and  invisible  bristle  on  their  slimy  bodies  is  keenly  sensitive 
to  the  slightest  touch. 

After  a  rain  in  June  how  the  robins  laugh  to  see  the 
angle-worms  enjoying  the  wet  grass  of  the  lawns  !  But, 
if  Mr.  Robin  expects  to  catch  many,  he  must  be  prepared 
for  work,  for  at  the  sound  of  the  bird's  light  foot-fall  the 


ii6  Spring 

angle-worm  quickly  disappears  in  his  hole.  Often  the 
robin  secures  a  piece  of  the  retreating  tail,  but  that  is  a 
matter  of  little  importance  to  the  worm,  for  there  are 
plenty  of  tails  where  that  came  from,  and  he  grows  himself 
another. 

If  you  take  an  earth-worm  in  your  hand  and  smooth 
him  with  your  fingers  from  his  tail  to  his  head,  you  will 
distinctly  feel  the  invisible  bristles,  four  pair  of  which  grow 
at  each  ring  of  his  body.  Now,  if  you  stroke  the  worm 
from  his  head  to  his  tail,  no  resistance  will  be  felt ;  he  is  as 
slippery  as  an  eel.  The  reason  for  this  is  that  the  bristles 
point  backward,  and  thus  enable  him  to  crawl.  For  they 
keep  his  tail  fixed  while  he  is  stretching  his  head  forward, 
and  then  he  holds  on  with  hooked  bristles  on  the  forward 
end  of  his  body  while  pulling  his  tail  up.  By  repeating 
this  operation  the  worm  manages  to  crawl  on  the  surface 
or  below  ground. 

The  Work  which  Angle-Worms  Do. 

Painstaking  scientific  men  have  made  careful  calcula- 
tions, and  claim  that  an  acre  of  ordinary  land  suitable  for 
worms  contains  fifty-three  thousand  angle  worms  !  If  bait 
is  ever  scarce,  it  is  because  the  worms  in  a  long-continued 
drought  or  during  very  cold  weather  burrow  deeply  into  the 
ground,  sometimes  to  the  distance  of  eight  feet,  which  is 
too  long  a  distance  to  dig  for  bait. 

It  takes  very  little  imagination  on  the  part  of  the  reader 
to  consider  that  fifty-three  thousand  worms,  all  busy  tak- 
ing earth  from  below  and  piling  it  above  ground,  can  do  a 
great  deal  in  a  few  thousand  years. 

To  our  common,  despised  earth-worm,  Mr.  Darwin  says 
we  are  indebted  for  the  preservation  of  many  noble  statues 
and  works  of  art.  For,  when  the  priceless  art  treasures  of 


Bait,  Live  and  Dead  117 

an  older  civilization  were  left  to  decay  amid  the  ruins  of  the 
ancient  cities,  the  earth-worms  went  silently  to  work  to 
bury  them,  which,  in  course  of  time,  they  accomplished, 
thus  protecting  the  statues  and  carvings  from  the  ruinous 
action  of  the  elements,  and  from  vandal  human  hands. 
Without  the  assistance  which  angle-worms  render,  by 
preparing  the  soil  to  receive  the  seeds,  many  plants  would 
become  extinct.  We  reward  the  creature  by  impaling  his 
wriggling  body  on  hooks,  and  by  using  him  as  bait  for  fish. 
Digging  for  worms  is  always  laborious  work,  and  all  fisher- 
men should  know 

How  to  Collect  Angle-Worms 

at  night,  when  they  are  above  ground,  and  you  need  no 
spade  and  laborious  digging  to  catch  them.  If  there  has 
been  a  warm  shower,  the  conditions  for  a  big  harvest  of 
worms  is  perfect.  Take  a  lantern  and  a  pail  or  a  box  and 
sally  forth.  If  you  step  softly,  and  hold  your  lantern  close 
to  the  ground,  you  will  see  hundreds  of  worms  in  the 
wet  grasc,  in  the  open  foot-path  and  by  the  road-side — 
great  fat  fellows  called  night-crawlers,  that  will  make  any 
hungry  fish's  mouth  water. 

Last  summer  I  saw  a  mysterious  light  moving  over  my 
front  lawn,  and  when  I  investigated  its  origin,  I  discovered 
a  boy  with  a  pail  and  a  lantern,  catching  worms.  When  he 
saw  a  worm,  he  would  snatch  it  as  quickly  as  any  robin. 

But  that  is  not  the  best  manner  to  capture  them.  When 
you  see  a  worm  lying  on  the  ground,  you  will  discover,  if 
you  look  carefully,  that  it  has  one  end  of  its  slippery  body 
hidden  in  its  burrow,  but  what  you  cannot  see  is  that  the 
stiff  bristles  are  firmly  hooked  in  the  soil  in  the  hole.  At  a 
moment's  notice  the  worm  can  draw  itself  out  of  sight,  by 
simply  contracting  its  muscles.  If  you  will  gently  place 


Ji8  Spring 

your  finger  on  the  end  of  the  earth-worm's  body  at  the 
burrow,  you  will  frighten  this  end  of  his  body,  so  to  speak, 
and  cause  it  to  let  go  its  hold.  But  as  soon  as  the  worm,  in 
its  endeavor  to  escape  from  the  enemy  at  home,  does  this, 
it  is  helpless,  and  you  may  pick  it  up  and  put  it  in  your 
pail,  which  will  soon  be  filled  with  good  bait. 

Different  Varieties. 

There  are  many  varieties  of  angle-worms  known  to  the 
fisherman.  Whether  they  are  varieties  recognized  by  the 
scientist  or  not,  is  of  no  importance  here,  but  we  all  know  that 
some  worms  are  strong,  lusty,  dark  in  color,  and  will  live 
some  time  on  the  hook ;  while  others  are  weak,  flabby,  light  in 
color,  and  soon  die  on  the  hook.  Mr.  J.  Harrington  Keene, 
in  Harper  s  Young  People  for  July  23,  1889,  describes 
worms,  which  he  calls  the  garden-worm,  the  brandling,  a 
manure-heap-worm,  the  cockspur,  with  golden  spots  on  its 
tail,  the  marsh-worm,  to  be  found  in  boggy  places,  and  the 
flag-worm,  found  at  the  roots  of  the  sweet  flag.*  Fish  will 
bite  at  all  of  these  worms,  but  for  large  fish  I  have  found 
the  night-crawlers  and  the  marsh  or  mud-worm,  the  most 
tempting.  Since  writing  the  last  sentence  I  tried  a  big 
night-crawler  with  success  upon  a  sly  old  trout  which  has 
resisted  the  tempting  bait  of  anglers  for  years.  After  you 
have  collected  your  bait  the  next  thing  to  know  is 

How  to  Keep  Angle-Worms  Healthy  and  Well. 
Put  them  in  any  sort  of  clean  tin  box.     Place  the  cover 
of   the  box  on  a  piece  of  soft  plank,  and  with  a  hammer 

*  In  Isaac  Walton's  "  Complete  Angler,"  he  speaks  of  the  garden- worm  as  the 
"lob- worm,"  and  then  enumerates  the  other  varieties  as  the  red-worm  of  the 
manure-heaps,  and  the  brandling  or  yellow- worm,  ringed  with  red,  of  manure- 
heaps  and  tan-heaps.  His  description  of  these  worms  seems  to  correspond  to  th« 
varieties  enumerated  by  Mr.  J.  Harrington  Keene. 


Bait,  Live  and  Dead  119 

and  nail,  make  a  number  of  holes  in  the  cover  to  admit 
air.  Gather  some  fresh  moss,  and  cover  your  angle-worms 
with  it.  Put  in  plenty  of  moss,  and  no  earth,  except  that 
which  naturally  adheres  to  the  moss.  The  moss  should  be 
moist  but  not  wet.  Leave  enough  space  between  the  top 
of  the  moss  and  the  cover  to  form  an  air-chamber. 

In  this  box  your  bait  not  only  will  not  die,  but  will  grow 
stronger  and  better  day  by  day.  When  you  wish  a  fresh 
bait,  pull  out  the  wad  of  moss,  and  you  will  find  the  worms 
hanging  from  the  bottom  like  so  many  bits  of  string.  Keep 
the  box  in  some  damp,  cool  place,  where  it  will  be  sheltered 
from  the  rain  and  sun. 

I  have  often  heard  that  if  you  tap  on  the  ground  the 
worms  will  come  out  of  their  holes.  This  is  probably  an 
ancient  legend  without  truth.  Some  old  Long  Islanders, 
however,  assert  that  the  worms  will  think  the  noise  to  be 
rain,  and  hasten  above  ground  to  prevent  being  washed 
out  and  drowned. 

How  to  Bring  the  Worms  Out  of  their  Holes. 

A  writer  in  La  Nature  makes  the  statement  that  the 
earth-worms  can  be  quickly  forced  to  come  above  ground, 
by  pouring  a  solution  of  blue  vitriol  (cupric  sulphate)  on 
the  ground.  Ten  grammes  of  blue  vitriol  to  a  quart  of 
water  is  given  as  the  proper  mixture.  Ordinary  soap-suds 
is  good  for  the  same  purpose,  and,  if  the  water  is  pretty 
warm,  it  acts  all  the  quicker.  There  is  little  danger  of 
scalding  the  bait,  for  the  water  cools  very  rapidly  when 
dashed  on  the  ground.  I  have  frequently  noticed  the 
earth-worms  crawling  around  where  the  laundresses  have 
emptied  their  tubs.  Cold,  fresh  water  will  doubtless  have 
the  same  effect,  though  possibly  the  worms  will  take  more 
time  in  making  their  appearance  upon  the  surface. 


I2O 


Spring 


In  a  publication  of  the  Lakeside  Library,  called  "  Fish 
and  Fishing,"  the  following  directions  are  given  for  pre- 
serving worms  for  bait : 

"  Procure  some  fresh  mutton  suet,  cut  it  fine,  and  boil  it 
in  a  quart  of  water  till  dissolved ;  then  dip  into  this  two  or 
three  large  pieces  of  coarse,  new  wrapper,  large  enough  to 
supply  each  variety  of  worms,  which  should  not  be  mixed 
together.  When  these  are  cold,  put  them  into  separate 


FIGS.  84,  85,  and  86. — The  Young  and  Adult  Corydalus. 

earthern  jars,  with  some  damp  earth  and  the  worms  which 
are  to  be  kept,  and  tie  over  all  a  piece  of  open,  coarse 
muslin." 

Hellgramftes,  Bogerts,  Hojack,  Dobsons,  or  Clippers. 

The  first  one  of  these  frightful,  black,  squirming  creat- 
ures that  I  ever  remember  of  seeing,  inspired  me  with  a 
terror  it  has  taken  years  to  overcome.  I  was  bathing  in  a 
pool  in  the  little  muddy  stream  of  Bank-lick,  near  Coving- 
ton,  Ky.  I  had  advanced  far  enough  in  the  art  of  swim- 
ming only  to  be  able,  with  safety,  to  swim  across  the  pool. 


Bait,  Live  and  Dead  121 

While  I  was  about  half  way  across  on  one  of  these  trips, 
a  sudden  pinch  on  my  back  announced  the  fact  that  I  had 
been  attacked  by  some  native  of  the  stream. 

I  looked  over  my  shoulder  in  alarm,  and  there  I  saw 
what  was  to  me  then  an  unknown  animal.  It  was  about  as 
long  as  my  finger,  black  as  could  be,  and  apparently  with 
as  many  legs  as  a  centipede.  It  had  fastened  its  pincers 
in  my  back,  and  hung  on  until  I  reached  the  opposite 
shore,  where  one  of  my  companions  picked  it  off,  to  my 
great  relief. 

Since  then  I  learned  that  this  was  only  a  good  black  bass 
bait  which  had  so  terrified  me,  and  that,  although  it  can 
pinch  quite  sharply,  it  is  a  harmless  insect. 

Another  Adventure. 

The  next  adventure  I  had  with  a  hellgramite  was  at 
Niagara  Falls.  It  was  when  the  old  tower  still  stood  upon 
a  rock  on  the  brink  of  the  cataract,  but  a  large  sign  marked 


warned  all  visitors  off  the  bridge  leading  to  the  tower. 
Boy-like,  I  traversed  the  bridge  to  the  point  where  the 
sign  barred  farther  progress,  and  here  I  leaned  upon 
the  barrier  and  watched  the  green  water  tumble  over  the 
falls.  And  as  I  watched  I  saw  a  living  thing  on  a  rock 
upon  the  very  brink  of  Niagara.  It  was  in  the  act  of  crawl- 
ing out  of  its  old  skin.  There  was  no  doubt  in  my  mind 
that  what  I  saw  was  an  insect,  but  it  was  such  an  insect 
as  I  had  never  before  encountered.  Gradually  it  shook  out 
its  beautiful  lace-like  wings,  and  then  I  climbed  over  the 
danger  sign,  threw  myself  flat  on  the  rock,  reached  over  the 
edge,  picked  the  insect  from  its  giddy  perch,  transferred  it 


1 22  Spring 


to  my  hat,  put  my  hat  on,  and  hastened  to  the  hotel  to 
examine  my  prize. 

It  looked  like  a  sort  of  comical  dragon-fly,  with  very 
long  pincers,  which  opened  and  closed  in  a  most  threaten- 
ing manner,  but  I  knew  the  thing  could  do  no  harm, 
because  it  was  still  soft,  like  a  soft-shell  crab.  This  was  a 
large  male  corydalus  in  its  perfect  form.  It  was  a  full- 
grown  hellgramite,  and  the  first  adult  insect  of  its  kind  I 
had  ever  seen. 

Fishing  for  Hojacks  with  a  Net. 

From  the  foregoing  it  may  be  seen  that  this  bait  passes 
part  of  its  life  in  the  water  and  part  in  the  air  and  on  land. 
With  the  perfect  insect  we  have  little  to  do,  but  the  ugly 
black  babies  we  need  for  perch  and  bass,  and  we  must  catch 
them  with  a  small  dip-net  made  of  mosquito-netting. 

Wading  up  stream,  and  coming  to  a  flat  stone,  place  the 
net  on  the  down-stream  side  of  the  stone,  and  then  lift  up 
the  stone.  The  bait  that  are  underneath  will  float  into  the 
net.  Some,  however,  may  be  glued  to  the  stone  by  their 
sticky  tails,  and  these  must  be  picked  off  and  placed  in  your 
pail  or  box.  Along  the  edge  of  the  stream  in  the  wet 
sand  or  gravel,  under  the  stones,  is  also  a  lurking-place  for 
bogerts. 

The  Time  when  Bogerts  are  Best. 

About  the  ist  of  June,  when  the  young  corydalus  feels 
that  it  is  about  to  change  into  a  lace-winged  insect,  it 
scrambles  out  of  the  water  and  crawls  rapidly  about  in 
search  of  a  suitable  dressing-room,  where  it  may  change  its 
clothes.  The  under  surface  of  an  old  board,  stone,  or  log, 
or  even  the  undersides  of  the  shingles  of  a  house,  not  too 
far  from  the  water,  are  the  places  chosen.  At  this  time  the 


Bait,  Live  arid  Dead  123 

insects  are  best  suited  to  the  purposes  of  the  fishermen, 
being  exceedingly  tough  and  hard  to  kill.  One  bait  fre- 
quently serves  to  catch  several  fish.  At  this  stage  the  hell- 
gramitcs  are  called  crawlers. 

Within  a  rude  earthen  cell  the  crawler  remains  in  a  sort 
of  mummy-like  condition  until  about  the  ist  of  July,  when 
it  bursts  forth  from  its  shell  (pupa)  a  perfect-winged  in* 
sect.  The  female  has  short  pincers  and  the  male  fero- 
cious-looking  long  ones.  Both  sexes,  however,  are  per- 
fectly  harmless. 

How  to  Keep  Dobsons  or  Clippers  Alive. 

Select  a  good  wooden  box,  about  two  feet  by  a  foot 
at  the  base  and  six  inches  or  a  foot  high.  Bore  holes  in 
the  lid  of  the  box  to  admit  air.  Cover  the  bottom  of  the 
box  with  dry  gravel,  and  dump  in  your  dobsons,  clippers, 
bogerts,  or  hellgramites,  as  the  larva  or  young  corydalus 
is  variously  called,  according  to  the  part  of  the  country 
you  happen  to  be  in.  Keep  the  box  in  a  dark,  cool  place. 

I  have  kept  hellgramites  in  a  box  of  this  description 
for  thirty  days  without  losing  a  single  insect,  all  of  them 
being  apparently  tougher  and  livelier  at  the  end  of  a  month 
than  they  were  when  first  placed  in  the  box. 

Mr.  J.  Harrington  Keene,  in  Harper  s  Young  People,  says 
that  hellgramites  can  be  kept  alive  in  a  can  in  which  some 
water  has  been  placed  and  damp  moss  added,  but  I  doubt 
if  the  bait  will  live  as  long  and  be  as  strong  and  healthy 
kept  in  this  way  as  they  are  when  kept  dry. 

White  Grub-Worms. 

These  are  the  young  or  larvae  of  beetles,  and  may  be 
found  by  digging  in  rich  soil  or  in  old  rotten  logs  and 
stumps.  They  make  good  bait  for  trout,  bass,  perch,  cat- 


124 


Spring 


fish,  and  sunfish.  Keep  them  in  the  Tianner  described  for 
keeping  the  earth,  angle,  or  garden  worm. 

Gentles,  or  Young  Blue-Bottle  Flies 

are  not  pleasant  creatures  to  look  upon,  or  pleasant  to 
capture,  or  pleasant  to  handle»  But  there  is  no  accounting 
for  tastes.  It  is  evident  that  fish  do  not  look  upon  the 
white  carrion-eating  baby-fly  in  the  same  light  that  we  do, 


FIG.  87.— The  White  Grub. 

for  they  are  very  fond  of  gentles ;  and  from  quaint  old 
Walton  down  to  the  present  time  this  little  grub  has  been, 
and  still  is,  used  for  bait.  The  beautiful,  dainty,  red  spotted 
trout,  in  his  cool  spring-water  stream,  is  passionately  fond 
of  the  larvae  of  the  blue-bottle  fly.  If  you  are  camping 
out  or  living  near  your  fishing-grounds,  take  any  old  offal 
and  put  it  in  an  old  can,  bucket,  or  other  deep  vessel  in  a 
shady  out-of-the-way  place,  where  mink  or  other  small 
animals  will  not  disturb  it. 

Wandering  blue-bottle  flies  will  soon  discover  the  tempt- 
ing display  and  deposit  their   eggs  in   it,   and   in   a  few 


Bait,  Live  and  Dead  125 

days  there  will  be  plenty  of  bait.  When  they  are  full 
grown  carefully  remove  them  by  gently  knocking  the  larvae 
with  a  stick  on  a  piece  of  birch  bark  or  paper. 

How  to  Keep  the  Trout  Bait. 

Place  them  in  a  box  of  sand  or  bran.  Here  they  will 
soon  cleanse  themselves  and  become  of  a  milk-white  hue, 
losing  all  their  disgusting  features.  Keep  them  in  a 
damp,  cool  place  to  stop  them  from  maturing,  or  going  into 
the  chrysalis  state,  preparatory  to  becoming  blue-bottle 
flies. 

Katydids 

are  very  difficult  to  obtain  in  quantity  sufficient  for  use  as 
bait,  on  account  of  their  habits  of  living  in  trees.  Once, 
when  I  was  fishing  among  the  Thousand  Islands,  in  the 
St.  Lawrence  River,  1  became  weary  of  trolling  for  big 
muskallonge  that  would  not  bite,  and  made  the  guide  put 
me  ashore  upon  a  little  rocky  island,  covered  with  small 
shrubbery  and  stunted  trees.  These  I  found  to  be  full  of 
great,  green,  handsome  katydids.  I  soon  filled  my  hand- 
kerchief with  them,  and  in  less  than  one  hour's  time  caught 
a  good  string  of  fish  of  assorted  kinds,  but  principally  fine 
bass. 

Among  other  things,  I  caught  the  largest  fresh-water 
eel  I  have  ever  seen;  but  as  I  was  dressed  in  summer- 
resort  fishing  clothes,  and  feared  the  effects  of  eel  slime  on 
my  trousers,  I  cut  the  eel  loose,  allowing  him  to  depart  in 
peace  with  my  hook  in  his  mouth. 

Black  Crickets. 

These  are  good  bait  for  almost  all  kinds  of  game  fish, 
and  are  killing  bait  for  bass  and  trout.  Frequently,  when 


1 26  Spring 

bass  will  not  notice  a  live  minnow,  crawfish,  hellgramite, 
or  frog,  he  will  eagerly  snap  at  a  black  cricket. 

There  is  but  one  way  to  catch  this  bait,  so  far  as  I  know, 
and  that  is  to  seek  it  under  the  loose  stones  and  chips, 
where  crickets  delight  to  hide.  I  have  had  the  best  luck 
in  open,  sunny  spots,  hilltops,  and  pathways.  Mr.  Keene, 
in  his  interesting  notes  on  bait  in  Harper  s  Young  People, 
advises  his  readers  to  look  for  crickets  in  a  cool,  damp 
place ;  but  he  evidently  found  them,  as  I  have,  under  chips 


FIG.  88.— Crickets. 

and  stones.     Mr.  Keene  caught  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
lour  trout  in  one  stream  with  black  crickets. 

Handle  your  crickets  with  care,  not  for  fear  that  they 
might  hurt  you,  but  because  they  are  easily  injured,  and 
their  usefulness  is  thus  impaired.  After  you  have  col- 
lected a  sufficient  quantity  for  your  purpose,  hasten  to 
place  them  in  some  roomy  receptacle,  the  bottom  of  which 
is  plentifully  supplied  with  damp  gravel  and  small  chips 
for  hiding-places.  Otherwise  they  will  eat  each  other. 

Grasshoppers 

are   another   good  bait.      Often  a  fish  will   take   hold  of 
a  grasshopper  when  nothing  else  will  tempt  him  to  bite, 


Bait,  Live  and  Dead 


127 


Every  boy  knows  where  and  how  to  catch  these  long- 
legged  insects,  but  to  keep  them  alive  for  any  great  length 
of  time  is  more  difficult. 


FIG.  89.— The  Grasshopper. 


How  to  Make  a  Grasshopper  Box. 

Take  an  old  cigar  box,  make  a  square  hole  about  two  by 
three  inches  in  the  lid ;  cover  the  hole  with  a  piece  of  wire 
netting.  Make  another  hole  just  large  enough  to  admit  a 
finger.  Make  a  sliding  door  of  a  small  paddle-shaped  piece 
of  wood,  fastened  with  a  screw  at  one  end  in  such  a  manner 
as  to  allow  the  other  end  to  slide  over  the  hole  (Fig.  90). 
tfalf  fill'  the  box  with  green 


"Lampers." 

This  is  the  fisherman's 
name  for  what  is  generally 
known  as  the  lamprey  eel, 
and  what  is  generally 
known  as  lamprey  eel  is  no 
eel  at  all.  In  spite  of  all 
this,  the  "  lampers  "  are 

great  bait  for  bass.  Near  Binghamton,  last  summer,  with 
a  good  lamprey  for  bait,  I  caught  a  bass  weighing  four 
pounds,  two  ounces,  and  my  friend,  Mr.  James  Johnson, 


FIG.  90. — A,  the  sliding  door  ;  B,  the  grass- 
hopper hole ;  C,  the  air  window  pro- 
tected by  wire  netting. 


1 28  Spring 

caught   several   weighing  over  three   pounds,   while   Mr. 

Johnson's  wife  landed  a  six-pounder !  These  fish  were  all 

weighed,  measured,  and  recorded 
with  their  outlines  in  Mr.  John- 
son's book,  kept  for  that  purpose. 
I  say  this  because  any  one  who  has 
fished  for  black  bass  knows  that  a 

FiG.9i.-The"LamPer."  three-pound  fish  can  send  a  thrill 
down  the  spine  of  even  old  fisher. 

men,  and  that  the  "  four-pounders  "  are  generally  the  fish 

caught  around  the  camp-fire,  and  not  the  real  live  fish  of 

the  streams. 

Habits  of  the  Lamprey. 

Last  summer's  experience  compels  me  to  speak  of  the 
lamprey  with  the  greatest  respect.  If  the  fish  are  pas- 
sionately fond  of  the  lamprey,  the  lamprey  is  also  passion- 
ately fond  of  fish,  especially  of  shad,  as  may  be  seen  from 
the  following  interesting  account,  which  appeared  in  the 
New  York  Sun  about  the  time  I  was  making  my  first  trial 
with  them  for  bait. 

"  The  lamprey  leaves  the  ocean  in  great  numbers  in  March,  proceeds 
to  the  head  of  tide-water  in  the  rivers,  and  there  actually  lies  in  wait  among 
the  rocks  for  the  shad  that  will  soon  be  pushing  their  way  up  stream  to 
spawn.  The  lamprey  follows  the  shad  on  this  interesting  journey,  fastening 
itself  to  the  delicate  fish  by  its  mouth,  which  is  simply  an  armed  sucking 
disc  with  extraordinary  adhesive  power.  The  lamprey  is  always  found 
fastened  at  the  orifice  from  which  the  shad  drops  her  eggs,  and  from  which 
it  sucks  the  roe,  at  the  same  time  rasping  the  tender  flesh  of  the  fish  with 
its  sharp-toothed  tongue,  drawing  blood  from  the  shad  to  wash  down  the 
raped  roe  into  its  maw.  The  shad  having  by  June  become  of  little  profit  to 
the  lamprey,  the  latter  sets  about  attending  to  its  own  family  affairs. 

"  The  female  lamprey  builds  her  nest  in  a  swift  current,  making  an 
excavation  sometimes  two  feet  deep.  She  frequently  removes  as  much  as  a 


Bait,  Live  and  Dead  129 

wheelbarrow  load  of  stones  in  preparing  her  nest.  She  has  such  strength 
that  she  caii  haul  up  from  the  bottom  stones  weighing  five  pounds  or  more. 
Gluing  her  mouth  to  a  stone,  she  works  backward,  drawing  the  stone  after 
her.  John  G.  Sawyer,  of  Sawmill  Rift,  once  speared  a  lamprey  in  the 
Delaware  as  she  was  in  the  act  of  hauling  up  a  stone  in  this  way,  and  so 
firmly  attached  was  she  to  the  stone  that  it  was  lifted  into  the  boat  with  her, 
she  being  pulled  out  of  the  water  by  the  tail. 

"  The  male  lamprey  hovers  about  the  spot  while  his  mate  is  building  the 
nest,  watching  her  tugging  away  at  the  stones,  but  never  offering  any  aid. 
AS  soon  as  the  big  nest  is  ready  the  female  lamprey  deposits  her  eggs  in  it, 
and  swims  away  and  dies.  I  can  remember  when  the  shores  of  the  upper 
Delaware  were  lined,  during  the  month  of  June,  with  dead  lampreys  and 
dead  shad.  As  soon  as  hatched  the  young  lampreys  go  ashore  and  bury 
themselves  in  the  sand,  where  they  are  found  by  eager  fishermen,  who  seek 
them  for  bait  for  other  fish. 

"  Properly  cooked,  the  lamprey  is  good.  There  isn't  a  bone  nor  a 
suspicion  of  a  bone  in  it.  Place  a  lamprey  in  the  sun  and  keep  it  there, 
and  it  will  melt  like  so  much  butter,  the  only  evidence  that  it  ever  existed 
being  a  grease-spot.  A  peculiarity  of  the  lamprey's  flesh  is  that,  although 
it  will  melt  away  in  the  sun,  it  becomes  tough  when  put  in  the  frying-pan 
over  a  fire,  and  becomes  tougher  and  tougher  the  longer  it  is  fried.  The 
only  way  it  can  be  cooked  so  as  to  be  fit  for  the  table  is  by  stewing  it" 


How  to  Catch  Lampreys. 

This  is  downright  hard  work,  and  anyone  who  digs  his 
own  lampreys  earns  all  the  fun  he  derives  from  their  use 
as  bait.  With  a  spade  in  hand  he  wades  in  the  water  above 
his  knees,  and  digs  the  soft  sand  and  mud  from  the  bottom, 
quickly  throwing  the  contents  of  the  shovel  on  the  bank, 
where  a  companion  looks  it  over  for  young  lampreys.  It 
takes  a  strong  man  to  lift  one  of  the  shovels  full  of  water 
and  mud  clear  of  the  water.  To  buy  lampreys  is  expen- 
sive,  for  no  man  we  could  find  would  dig  them  for  less 
than  four  cents  apiece,  and  some  charged  ten  cents  apiece 

for  them. 

9 


130  Spring 


How  to  Keep  Lampreys. 

Put  them  in  the  ice-chest  in  a  pail  of  aquatic  grass  and 
ice,  or,  where  it  is  possible,  make  a  long,  wooden  box,  and 
cover  the  bottom  with  clean  sand.  Set  the  box  where  the 
water  from  a  spring  can  run  through  holes  bored  in  the 
sides  near  the  top  for  that  purpose.  Other  holes  in  the 
opposite  sides  near  the  top  allow  the  overflow  water  to  run 
off.  Have  a  good  cover  for  your  box,  and  wire  netting 
over  the  air-  and  water-holes,  or  you  will  discover  that 
some  land  animals  are  almost  as  fond  of  your  expensive 
bait  as  the  bass  are. 

This  box  is  also  an  excellent  contrivance  for  keeping 
bull-heads  and  other  minnows  alive.  The  wire  netting 
over  the  holes  keeps  out  the  garter  and  other  snakes  that 
need  only  a  hint  to  avail  themselves  of  the  opportunity  of 
feeding  on  your  bull-heads. 

Lampreys  are  expensive  to  buy,  to  keep,  and  to  handle. 
When  taken  out  of  the  box  to  use,  put  them  in  a  pail  with 
grass  and  some  big  pieces  of  ice,  and  cover  the  whole  up 
well  with  something  to  protect  it  from  the  sun.  When  you 
take  a  bait  out  you  will  find  him  so  numb  that  it  is  not 
difficult  to  bait  him.  After  he  is  once  overboard,  the  warm 
water  thaws  him  out  so  that  he  becomes  exceedingly  lively 
and  tempting  to  the  fish. 

Frogs 

are  highly  esteemed  as  bait  by  many  fishermen,  and  there 
is  no  doubt  that  some  fish  are  fond  of  them,  and  that  most 
fish  will  bite  at  them  at  times.  Wall-eyed  pike,  or  Jack 
salmon,  as  these  fish  are  called  in  Ohio,  pickerel,  bass,  and 
large  perch  are  caught  with  half-grown  and  not  infre- 
quently with  full-grown  frogs. 


Bait,  Live  and  Dead 


How  to  Bait  a  Live  Frog. 

Some  fishermen  put  the  hook  through  the  frog's  lips, 
some  through  the  web  of  one  foot,  some  through  the  skin 
of  the  leg  at  the  thigh,  and  others  through  the  skin  of  the 
back.  For  my  part,  a  live  frog  is  a  very  unpleasant  bait. 
Its  human-like  form  and  its  desperate  struggles  to  free 
itself  by  grasping  the  hook  with  its  queer  little  hands,  are 
too  suggestive  of  suffering. 

To  those  who  wish  to  use  this  bait,  however,  it  will  be  a 
comfort  to  know  that  it  is  claimed  that  the  frog  is  really 


FIG.  92.— Frogs. 


less  sensitive  to  pain  than  many  other  baits.  As  a  rule,  you 
should  put  a  heavy  sinker  on  your  line  when  using  a  live 
frog,  and  frequently  lift  him  out  of  the  water,  so  that  he  may 
have  a  chance  to  breathe. 

At  times,  under  certain  conditions,  it  is  an  excellent  plan 
to  remove  all  sinkers  and  allow  the  frog  to  swim  at  will 
until  he  is  gobbled  up  by  some  big  fish  which  has  been 
quietly  resting  under  an  old  log  or  the  lily-pads,  watching 
for  some  foolish  creature  to  swim  by  his  ambush. 

How  to  Catch  Frogs. 

One  way  is  to  walk  alongside  of  the  stream  or  pond  and 
drive  the  frogs  into  the  water.  They  will  not  go  far,  but 


132  Spring 


make  great  pretensions  of  doing  so,  and  kick  up  the  mud 
so  as  to  deceive  and  blind  you  as  to  their  real  hiding-place. 
A  few  moments'  waiting,  however,  will  allow  the  mud  to 
settle,  and  then,  near  the  shore,  you  will  see  a  suspicious 
lump  of  mud,  and  you  need  not  doubt  that  the  frog  has 
doubled  on  his  track  to  mislead  you.  It  may  be  that  from 
this  lump  of  mud  two  bulging  eyes  appear.  At  any  rate 
quietly  slip  your  hand  in  the  water,  and  with  a  quick 
motion  grasp  the  lump,  and  you  will  have  the  frog. 

Some  boys  acquire  great  skill  in  catching  live  animals. 
When  I  was  a  small  chap  I  watched  with  interest  the 
movements  of  a  cat  while  in  pursuit  of  birds,  and  dis- 
covered that  its  plan  of  action  was  simply  this:  slow, 
deliberate  movement,  with  frequent  and  long  pauses  when- 
ever the  prey  showed  signs  of  alarm,  no  violent  motion 
until  the  game  was  within  reach ;  then  a  sudden  stroke  with 
a  curved  paw  and  extended  nails  seldom  failed  to  grapple 
or  hook  the  victim. 

Long  I  pondered  over  this,  and  then  began  a  series  of 
experiments,  and  could  soon  proudly  boast  of  the  capture 
with  bare  hands  of  a  gray  squirrel,  several  pigeons,  a  cage 
full  of  gold-finches,  turtles  and  frogs  by  the  gross — not 
little,  half-grown  frogs,  but  great  yellow-throated,  green- 
backed,  full-grown  bull-frogs. 

Once  I  crept  up  upon  a  big  Virginia  horned  owl,  and 
could  undoubtedly  have  caught  him,  but  I  was  a  little  chap, 
?nd  when  I  looked  at  his  great  hooked  talons  my  heart 
failed  me,  and  I  simply  pushed  him  off  his  perch  and  fled 
as  the  astonished  owl  silently  flew  away.  Since  then  I  have 
seen  a  Virginia  horned  owl  sink  his  talons  through  a  heavy 
cowhide  shoe. 

In  such  parts  of  the  country  where  the  streams  have 
muddy  margins  and  over-hanging  banks,  the  boys  walk  along 


Bait,  Live  and  Dead  133 

the  bank,  and  when  they  see  a  frog  squatting  in  the  mud 
below,  throw  a  piece  of  wood  at  it  and  bury  the  frog  in  the 
mud,  where  it  is  easily  captured. 

Red  Flannel  Frog-bait. 

A  full-grown  frog  will  bite  at  almost  any  object  that 
moves  near  it,  except  a  snake.  In  some  experiments  I 
made  with  two  frogs  they  both  showed  great  alarm  when 
a  little  baby  garter-snake  was  put  in  the  same  aquarium 
with  them.  Yet  one  of  these  frogs  afterward  swallowed 
his  mate,  and  attempted  the  same  feat  with  my  young 
alligator.  Taking  advantage  of  this  desire  of  the  frog  to 
put  himself  outside  of  everything  that  moves,  the  boys  bait 
their  hooks  with  bits  of  red  flannel,  and  dance  the  gaudy 
cloth  in  front  of  the  frog's  nose  until  he  grabs  it,  and  the 
hook  grabs  him. 

Three  Hooks 

knitted  together  like  a  grapple,  and  fastened  to  a  short  line 
on  a  long  pole,  will  enable  the  boy  to  catch  frogs  a  long 
way  from  shore,  among  the  lily-pads.  The  hook  will  not 
alarm  the  frog  in  the  least,  and  a  sudden  jerk  of  the  line 
when  the  hooks  are  under  the  frog  will  never  fail  to  bring 
him  kicking  through  the  air  safely  ashore.  Any  sort  of 
small  live  creature  can  be  caught  with  these  grapple  hooks. 

How  to  Keep  Frogs. 

Put  them  in  a  covered  vessel  of  any  kind  that  will  hold 
water,  but  do  not  make  the  common  mistake  of  filling  or 
half  filling  the  vessel  with  water,  or  you  will  drown  all 
your  frogs.  Put  a  lot  of  gravel,  mud,  moss,  or  sand  in  the 
bottom  of  your  frog-bucket,  and  add  only  enough  water 
to  saturate  thoroughly  the  material  at  the  bottom  of  your 
bucket.  Use  a  perforated  tin  or  wooden  cover  that  will 


134 


Spring 


admit  plenty  of  air,  or  a  cover  made  of  wire  netting,  or  an 
old  piece  of  mosquito  netting,  or  any  other  cloth  with  open 
meshes  that  will  admit  plenty  of  air. 

In  such  a  home  the  frogs  will  retain  their  health  and 
vigor  for  any  length  of  time.  I  have  kept  them  for  over  a 
year  alive  and  apparently  happy.  It  is  not  necessary  to  feed 
them  more  than  once  in  three  weeks,  so  you  need  have  no 
fear  of  starving  them ;  as  it  is,  you  will  seldom  want  to  keep 
them  longer  than  a  week. 

/Live  Minnows. 

This  bait,  on  the  whole,  is  more  satisfactory  than  any 
other  live  bait.  It  is  more  easily  obtained  than  lampreys, 


FIG.  93.— Live  Bait. 

is  not  as  disagreeable  to  handle  as  insects  and  worms,  and 
either  suffers  less,  or  at  least  appears  to  suffer  less,  than  the 
frogs.  Possibly  a  hook  may  hurt  a  minnow  as  badly  as  it 
does  a  frog,  but  the  little  fish  has  not  the  power  of  showing 
his  discomfort  or  suffering  so  graphically.  Besides  all  this, 
if  you  bait  a  minnow  through  the  lips  it  can  cause  no  more 
pain  than  cutting  your  own  finger-nail. 

To  me  the  minnow  is  the  king  of  live  bait.  When,  as  a 
child,  I  used  to  visit  my  grandmother  in  Northern  Ohio,  I 
was  delighted  to  find  the  little  brooks  full  of  small  fish, 
with  bright  red  stripes  on  their  sides.  These  are  the 


Bait,  Live  and  Dead  135 

famous  "  painted  "  minnow,  and  form  excellent  bait  for  the 
big  black  bass  of  Lake  Erie. 

How  to  Catch  Minnows. 

Where  the  bait  is  in  small  streams,  the  best  thing  to  use 
is  a  rectangular  net,  with  corks  on  the  top  edge  and  sinkers 
on  the  bottom,  the  net  attached  to  two  poles,  one  at  each 
end.  A  home-made  minnow  net  is  described  in  the  "  Ameri- 
can Boy's  Handy  Book."  Take  off  your  shoes  and  stock- 
ings and  wade  in  the  brook,  one  boy  at  each  pole ;  slant  the 
tops  of  the  hand-pole  down  stream,  being  careful  to  keep 
the  lower  edge  of  the  net  on  the  bottom.  Now  move  up 
stream,  carefully  plodding  your  way  along  so  as  not  to  foul 
your  net  on  snags  and  stones  in  the  bottom. 

When  you  think  you  have  gone  far  enough,  bring  one 
end  of  the  net  quickly  but  carefully  around  to  the  shore 
where  the  other  end  is.  Slide  the  bottom  of  the  net  up 
to  the  dry  land  and  lift  it  all  out  of  water.  One  haul 
should  be  enough  to  fill  your  minnow-bucket. 

How  to  make  a  minnow-bucket  is  also  described  in  the 
"American  Boy's  Handy  Book;"  but,  since  the  introduc- 
tion of  cheap  wire  netting  in  the  market,  any  boy  who  calls 
himself  an  American  should  be  able 

To  Construct  a  Serviceable  Minnow-bucket 

by  taking  an  ordinary  tin  pail  and  making  a  wire-netting 
cylinder  that  will  fit  loosely  inside  the  tin  pail,  then  cut  a 
circular  piece  of  netting  for  the  bottom,  and  fasten  it 
there  with  copper  wire.  A  lid  can  be  made  of  the  same 
material  as  the  cylinder  and  hinged  on  with  wire,  so  that  it 
may  be  opened  and  closed  at  will,  or  secured  with  a  staple  and 
pin.  The  object  of  the  open  work  inside  the  pail  is  to  make 
it  easy  to  change  the  water  without  losing  the  bait ;  or  the 


136  Spring 


wire  pail  may  be  hung  to  the  boat  side  in  such  a  manner 
that  the  water  will  flow  through  it  and  keep  the  bait  alive. 

How  to  Catch  Minnows  in  Ponds,  Lakes,  or  Deep 

Streams. 

Where  the  water  is  deep,  minnows  have  the  habit  of 
congregating  in  great  schools,  and  may  be  best  captured 
with  dip-nets,  either  by  sinking  them  and  waiting  until  the 
bait  gathers  over  them,  or  by  sinking  the  nets  and  then 
coaxing  the  bait  over  the  traps  by  means  of  a  handful  of 
bread  or  cracker  crumbs.  A  favorite,  but  slow,  method  in 
Pike  County,  Penn.,  is  to  fish  for  the  minnows  among  the 
lily-pads  with  a  small  hook  and  piece  of  thread  attached  to 
a  switch,  and  baited  with  a  wee  bit  of  an  angle-worm,  fish, 
or  fresh-water  mussel. 

How  to  Keep  Minnows  Alive. 

Keep  them  in  a  box  similar  to  the  one  described  for 
lamprey  eels,  or  in  a  wooden  box  perforated  with  small 
holes  and  sunk  in  shallow  water,  or  in  a  box  made  of  wire 
netting  and  sunk  in  shallow  water.  Always  be  careful  to 
fasten  the  box  securely,  because  mink  and  coons  have  a 
disagreeable  way  of  robbing  minnow-boxes  that  are  care- 
lessly fastened  and  what  they  leave  the  water-snakes  devour. 
I  have  more  than  once  lost  more  than  a  pailful  of  minnows 
in  one  night  in  what  appeared  to  be  a  most  mysterious 
manner,  until  the  imprint  of  little  hand-like  feet  in  the 
muddy  banks  near  my  box  gave  me  a  clew  to  the  robber. 
In  transporting  minnows  by  rail  or  wagon  they  will  live  in 
a  crowded  bucket,  because  the  agitation  of  the  water  keeps 
it  fresh,  but  as  soon  as  a  long  stop  is  made  they  will  all  die, 
unless  the  water  is  frequently  changed. 


Bait,  Live  and  Dead 


137 


Crawfish 

may  be  caught  by  a  net  in  streams  with  muddy,  grass- 
grown  bottom,  or  by  digging  in  the  banks,  or  by  lifting 
up  the  stones  in  shallow  water.  In  lakes  or  ponds  look  for 
crawfish  in  the  bottom,  sand,  or  mud  at  the  mouths  of  in- 
flowing brooks  or  springs.  It  is  a  fact  not  generally  known 
that  there  are  no  crawfish  on  Long  Island. 

How  to  Keep  Crawfish  Alive. 

Keep  them  in  boxes  or  pails  with  damp  moss,  gravel,  or 
aquatic  plants.  Put  in  only  enough  water  to  saturate  the 
plants.  Do  not  flood  them.  Keep  in  a  cool,  damp  place. 

Miscellaneous  Bait. 

Butterflies,  moths,  caterpillars,  bumble-bees,  May-flies, 
caddis-flies  (Fig.  94,  E),  blue-bottle  flies,  and  meal-worms,  all 


FIG.  94. — The  Caddis. 

make  good  bait  at  times.  The  last-named  are  to  be  found 
around  old  flour-mills,  and  with  little  trouble  may  be  reared 
at  home  in  musty  meal. 

r  Looking-glass  Bait. 

A  fish  is  not  a  vain  animal,  but  he  is  a  very  jealous 
eature,  and  looks  with  suspicion  upon  all  his  kind.     A 


138 


Spring 


L 


pet  fish  will  not  tolerate  the  introduction  of  a  stranger  in 
the  aquarium,  and,  like  a  dog  or  a  chicken,  if  a  fish  sees 

a  companion  secure  a 
piece  of  food,  that  is 
the  piece  of  food  the 
first  fish  wants. 

So,  I  am  inclined 
to  place  some  cre- 
dence in  the  story  of 
the  Petit  Journal,  to 
the  effect  that  a  Mr. 
William  R.  Lamb,  of 
East  Greenwich,  R.  I., 
has  taken  advantage 
of  the  jealous  disposi- 
tion of  the  fish.  By 
fastening  a  mirror  to 
his  line  below  the 
hook,  he  deceives  the 
fish  that  may  come 
smelling  around  his 
bait.  Immediately 
upon  approaching  the 
bait,  the  fish  discov- 
ers his  reflection  in 
^^  ~^>  £"  ^  the  glass,  and  hastily 


FIG.  95.— The  Envious  Fish. 


snaps  at  the  hook,  so 
as  to  get  it  before  his 
rival  can  do  so. 

According  to  one 
authority  Mr.  Lamb  is  an  Englishman,  but  according  to  an- 
other he  is  an  old  fisherman  of  Greenwich,  R.  I.  It  matters 
little  where  the  inventor  hails  from  -,  here  is  his  contrivance : 


Bait,  Live  and  Dead  139 

Take  a  small  rod  with  a  ring  in  the  middle  and  one  at 
each  end,  and  fasten  a  line  to  each  ring.  About  six  or 
eight  inches  above  the  rod  bring  the  lines  together,  and 
tie  them  in  such  a  manner  that  the  two  side  lines  are 
exactly  equal,  and  form  what  your  geometry  would  call  an 
isosceles  triangle,  with  the  middle  line  running  through  the 
centre. 

If  possible,  procure  a  circular  or  oval  mirror,  about  a 
foot  and  a  half  in  diameter,  and  fasten  it  by  a  ring  in  the 
frame  to  the  cross-rod.  Attach  your  fish-line  to  the  points 
where  the  three  lines  meet,  and  fasten  a  short  line  with 
hook  attached  to  the  ring  at  one  end  of  the  cross-rod  in 
such  a  manner  that  the  bait  will  hang  in  front  of  the  glass. 

(Fig.  95-) 

Mr.  Lamb  claims  that  this  scheme  has  proved  successful, 
and  there  appears  to  be  no  reason  why  it  should  not.  Still, 
when  the  novelty  is  worn  off,  it  seems  probable  that  a  fish 
on  the  end  of  a  clean  line  would  feel  better  to  the  fisherman 
than  one  attached  to  a  line  hampered  with  a  great,  flat 
looking-glass. 

Bottom  Bait— Bran  and  Bread. 

The  buffalo-fish  of  the  Western  rivers,  the  German  carp, 
lately  introduced  in  many  of  our  lakes  and  ponds,  goldfish, 
and  many  other  small  fish,  are  fond  of  bread  or  dough,  but 
these  articles  are  difficult  to  manage,  for  the  water  washes 
them  off  the  hook. 

I  have  seen  fishermen  on  the  Ohio  River  mix  corn-meal 
with  cotton,  or  roll  it  into  balls,  and  tie  them  up  in  bits  of 
mosquito  netting,  and  bait  their  hook  with  these  balls. 
Another  method  is  to  soak  some  bread  until  it  is  thor- 
oughly saturated,  then  squeeze  the  water  out  and  knead  it 
with  bran  and  meal  until  it  becomes  tough,  like  putty. 


140  Spring 


Dead  Bait— Meat. 

Salt  pork,  cut  in  small  chunks,  bits  of  fresh  meat,  and 
the  refuse  of  fish  already  caught,  form  tempting  bait  for 
eels,  cat-fish,  and  other  bottom  fish. 

How  to  Pick  Up  a  Live  Eel. 

To  pick  up  a  live  eel,  grasp  its  throat  between  your 
hooked  first  and  second  finger,  the  rest  of  your  fist  being 
doubled  up.  (See  Fig.  96.)  If  there  is  a  dry,  sandy,  or  dusty 
spot  near  at  hand,  toss  the  eel  into  it,  and  again  pick  him 
up.  This  time,  on  account  of  the  dust  or  sand,  you  will  find 
it  much  less  difficult  to  hold  him. 

9 

How  to  Skin  Him. 

After  picking  him  up,  throw  him  down  on  the  ground 
with  all  your  force.  This  will  stun  the  animal,  and  you 
may  now  take  a  sharp  knife  and  make  a  circular  cut  below 
the  first  or  pectoral  fins  (Fig.  97).  Then,  with  the  finger- 
nails, peel  the  skin  back  until  you  can  get  a  good  hold  of  it 
with  your  hands,  which  you  have  previously  covered  with 
dust. 

Now  take  hold  of  the  head  with  one  hand,  and  strip  the 
skin  back  with  the  other  hand  as  shown  in  the  third  position 
(Fig.  98). 

Eel-tail  Bait. 

When  you  have  skinned  the  eel  to  a  point  about  three 
or  four  inches  above  the  tail,  cut  the  tail  off  with  a  sharp 
knife,  but  leave  it  adhering  to  the  skin.  Turn  back  the 
skin  still  further,  and  cut  off  the  turned-over  portion  of  the 
skin  about  half  way  down.  A  sharp  pair  of  scissors  will  be 
best  for  this  purpose. 

Now  take  your  fish-hook  and  run  it  through  the  flesh 


Bait,  Live  and  Dead 


141 


FIG.  96. 


FIG.  97. 


FIG.  98. 


FIG.  99. 


FIG.  xoo. 


FIG,  xox. 


tt.t_  JACK.- 
THE  L«<*MT  USED   roRNifrrtT.SpEARlN<f. 

FIGS.  96,  97,  and  98.— How  to  Hold  and  Skin  an  EeL     FIG.  99.— Eel  Spear. 
FIG.  loo.— Eel  Pot.     FIG.  101.— Eel  Jack  for  Spearing  at  Night. 

Sketched  on  Long  Island  for  the  American  Boy's  Book  of  Sports. 


142 


Spring 


FIG.  io2.-The  Eel-Tail  Bait 


of  the  eel  until  the  point  of  the  hook  protrudes  at  a  point 
between  one  and  two  inches  from  the  tip  of  the  tail.  The 
sinker,  a  split  buck-shot,  should  be  fastened  to  the  snell 

just  above  the  hook, 
and  the  skin  must 
now  be  turned  back 
above  and  cover  the 
sinker.  Here  it 
must  be  tightly  tied 
with  waxed  silk 

thread  Or  fine  twine- 

Now  turn  the  skin 

down  again  so  that  it  comes  about  half-way  between  the 
gathered  end  of  the  skin  at  the  top  and  the  point  of  the 
hook  at  the  bottom.  With  a  needle  and  some  strong,  well- 
waxed  thread  sew  the  edge  of  the  skin  to  the  body  bait. 
You  understand,  of  course,  that  the  point  where  you  cut 
the  body  of  the  eel  off  depends  altogether  upon  the  size  of 
the  eel  used. 

The  eel-tail  bait  is  tough,  and  will  last  a  long  time. 
It  has  a  beautiful  bluish  color  that  pleases  the  fish,  and  in 
trolling  or  casting  the  free  end  of  the  tail  wiggles  in  so 
tempting  a  manner  that  it  makes  a  very  killing  bait. 

How  to  Keep  Eels  for  Bait. 

Put  them  away  in  jars  of  coarse  salt.  In  using  salted 
eels  for  bait  it  is  best  to  soak  them  for  an  hour  or  so  in 
fresh  water.  This  will  make  them  plumper  and  improve 
the  color. 

Skittering. 

For  skittering,  a  dead  frog  or  dead  minnow  is  just  as 
good  as  a  live  one,  inasmuch  as  the  constant  twitching  of 
the  pole  or  rod  causes  the  bait  to  skitter  over  the  surface  of 


Bait,  Live  and  Dead  143 

the  water.  The  action  is  so  violent  that  live  bait  never 
survive  more  than  one  or  two  casts.  Some  large  fish  are 
caught  by  skittering,  and  at  certain  times  of  the  year  no 
other  method  seems  to  meet  with  much  success.  My  first 
awkward  effort  at  skittering  in  Pike  County,  Pa.,  was  re- 
warded with  a  three  and  one  half  pound  bass.  When  you 
are  fishing  at  such  times  it  will  be  useful  to  know 

How  to  Preserve  Dead  Frogs  or  Minnows, 

so  that  you  may  keep  a  supply  on  hand.  One  way  is  to 
put  your  dead  minnows  in  salt,  or  in  sugar,  or  in  alcohol 
and  water,  or  in  whiskey,  gin,  or  rum.  But  sweet-oil  will 
keep  them  firm  and  fresh  for  perhaps  the  greatest  length  of 
time.  Put  the  frogs  or  minnows  in  a  pail  of  oil  and  this 
into  a  pot  of  boiling  water,  and  keep  it  there  until  the  oil 
reaches  the  boiling  point.  Then  immediately  remove  it. 
Do  not  boil  your  bait,  or  you  will  make  it  soft,  tender,  and 
unfit  for  use. 

Other  Bait. 

Boys,  as  a  rule,  are  all  fond  of  fishing,  and,  furthermore, 
are  almost  without  exception  bait  fishermen,  leaving  the 
use  of  artificial  flies,  spoon-hooks,  and  other  like  devices  to 
their  fathers  and  older  brothers. 

The  almost  universal  bait  of  the  small  boy  is  the  earth- 
worm, garden-worm,  angle-worm,  or  fish-worm,  as  it  is 
variously  called  ;  but  there  are  other  equally  as  good,  if  not 
better,  baits  named  in  this  chapter,  so  that  the  boys  may 
not  be  at  a  loss  for  lack  of  knowledge  of  what  to  use  as  bait. 

As  a  rule,  almost  any  small  live  creature  will  serve  in  an 
emergency.  Even  live  mice  make  good  bait  for  large  trout, 
and  I  have  known  fish  to  swallow  small  birds  that  fell  in 
the  water  while  fighting.  Cheese  is  a  good  bait  for  chubs, 


144 


Spring 


and  boiled  shrimp  for  perch  and  even  salmon.  Paste  made 
of  bread  or  dough  and  mixed  with  mashed  shrimp,  or 
sweetened  with  sugar  or  honey  and  colored  red  to  attract 
attention,  Isaac  Walton  and  some  modern  writers  claim 
is  good  for  dace,  carp,  etc. 

Fish-spawn  is  called  a  poacher's  bait.  Caddis-worms,  to 
be  found  in  the  bottom  of  ponds  and  brooks,  are  a  killing  bait. 
Caddis-worms  build  themselves  little  log-cabins  or  houses 
of  stone,  which  they  carry  around,  as  a  snail  does  its  shell. 
The}7  may  be  picked  off  the  underside  of  stones  and  plants, 
and  kept  in  a  can  with  wet  moss  or  aquatic  plants  (Fig.  94, 
A,  C,  B  and  D). 

Fish  bite  when  they  are  so  inclined,  and  no  bait  that  I 
have  ever  used  is  certain  to  tempt  them.  I  have  used  live 
hellgramites  and  minnows  with  no  luck,  while  a  boy  beside 
me  caught  a  four-pound  bass  on  an  angle-worm.  Experi- 
ence, observation,  and  an  assortment  of  bait  are  what  fill 
your  fish-basket. 


FIG.  103.— Bottom  Fishing  (?). 


CHAPTER  XI 
COMMON-SENSE   PRECAUTIONS   IN  FISHING 

Why  and  How  Fish  are   Easily   Frightened— The  Lessons  of  Nature 
and  of  Experience. 

IF  you  will  sit  perfectly  quiet  on  the  bank  of  a  clear 
stream  or  lake,  it  will  not  be  long  before  the  inhabitants 
of  the  water  will  venture  out  of  their  hiding-places  and 
swim  around  in  plain  view  of  the  observer.  What  does 
this  mean  ?  If  you  shoot  a  pistol  over  your  head,  and 
make  no  quick  motion  with  your  arms  or  hands,  even 
then  the  creatures  under  the  water  will  not  flee.  What 
does  this  mean  ? 

Of  course,  my  reader  can  answer  for  himself  that  all 
this  means  that  sound  has  not  much,  if  any,  effect  upon  the 
fish,  but  that  their  eyes  are  quick  to  detect  the  slightest 
suspicious  movement  overhead  or  on  shore.  If  you  are  in 
a  boat  and  make  a  noise  with  your  feet  or  anchor,  the  case 
is  different,  because  you  jar  the  water  and  that  frightens 
the  fish,  but  if  you  sit  still,  you  may  talk  with  no  danger  of 
alarming  the  game. 

Some  may  doubt  this ;  nevertheless,  I  have  fired  a  pistol 
over  the  water  and  killed  a  frog  with  the  bullet  without 
alarming  the  other  frogs  or  the  fish  in  plain  sight.  But  as 
soon  as  I  made  a  movement  to  gain  possession  of  the  dead 
frog,  not  only  all  the  other  frogs  plumped  into  the  water 
and  all  the  turtles  slipped  off  the  logs  where  they  had  been 
10 


1 46  Spring 


peacefully  baking  their  backs  in  the  sun,  but  every  fish  in 
sight  darted  away  to  be  out  of  reach  of  the  dangerous  two- 
legged  animal  they  saw  approaching. 

Nature  as  a  Teacher. 

The  inference  is  that  we  must  keep  as  motionless  as 
possible  when  fishing,  and  when  compelled  to  move,  do  so 
with  great  deliberation.  If  any  one  of  my  readers  has  ever 
watched  a  black-crested  night-heron  or  any  kindred  bird  as 
it  fished  in  the  shallow  water,  the  motionless  poise  or  the 
slow,  deliberate  movement  of  the  bird  could  not  have 
escaped  notice.  When  you  want  to  learn  nature's  secrets 
go  to  nature  to  find  them  out.  Watch  how  the  hunters 
with  four  legs  and  fishers  with  feathers  act,  and  the  nearer 
you  conform  your  methods  to  theirs  the  greater  will  be 
your  success. 

It  is  understood,  of  course,  that  in  fly-fishing,  casting, 
and  skittering,  motion  is  constant  and  unremitting,  but 
even  then  the  better  you  are  concealed,  the  better  will 
be  your  luck. 

In  the  woods  of  Pike  County,  Pa.,  there  is  a  bright, 
noisy  little  brook  that  comes  gabbling  and  gurgling  down 
the  mountain-side,  now  diving  under  moss-covered  roots, 
and  hiding  a  while,  only  to  jump  out  and  surprise  you  in  an 
unlooked-for  spot.  After  rambling  along  in  a  happy-go- 
lucky  manner  under  the  deep  shade  of  tall  pine-trees,  it 
suddenly  leaves  the  woods  and  sweeps  out  in  a  broad,  deep 
pool  into  a  pasture-field. 

Out  of  Sight  of  the  Pool. 

Fishing  down  this  stream  a  few  summers  ago,  I  came 
suddenly  upon  the  pasture,  but  in  place  of  climbing  the 


Common-Sense  Precautions  in  Fishing     147 

fence,  I  cautiously  poked  my  rod  through  the  bushes  until 
my  fly  hung  directly  over  the  spot  where  I  supposed  the 
pool  to  be.  Then  I  gently  allowed  the  fly  to  settle  down, 
and  I  only  knew  when  it  struck  the  water  by  the  sudden 
pull  on  the  line. 

Without  once  seeing'  the  pool,  I  landed  fourteen  fine 
trout ;  there  were  no  very  large  ones.  But  I  had  enough 
fish  for  breakfast  and  returned  home. 


Effect  of  Being  Seen. 

The  next  time  I  visited  the  brook  I  fished  up  the  stream, 
and  when  I  struck  the  pasture  I  climbed  the  fence  and  cast 
my  fly  from  the  bank  ;  but  I  had  been  seen,  and  not  one 
trout  came  near  my  hook. 

In  approaching  this  hole  on  my  first  trip  I  was  shouting 
and  breaking  my  way  through  the  underbrush  with  great 
noise,  purposely,  in  order  to  make  my  whereabouts  known 
to  a  companion,  who  was  somewhere  in  the  glen.  The 
last  time  I  made  no  noise,  but  approached  on  tiptoe.  The 
first  time  I  was  unseen,  and  I  think  that  I  could,  had  I 
wished,  have  taken  every  trout  out  of  that  pool.  But  when 
they  saw  me  on  the  second  occasion,  I  had  better  gone  on 
my  way  and  not  wasted  time  by  fishing  for  panic-stricken 
trout.  There  is  but  one  big  trout  in  this  brook  and  I  hope 
some  day  to  land  him  ;  he  is  in  a  round,  deep  hole  in 
an  open,  exposed  place,  devoid  of  shelter,  besides  which 
the  hole  is  a  network  of  strong  sunken  sticks,  a  veritable 
snare  for  a  fisherman's  line;  and  the  only  apparent  way 
to  catch" him  is  with  a  strong  line  and  a  sudden  jerk.  Yet 
this  trout  has  not  lived  for  years  in  his  hole  for  nothing, 
and  it  is  probable  if  any  one  ever  captures  him,  it  will  be 
by  meeting  cunning  with  cunning,  and  not  by  brute  force. 


148  Spring 


Trolling  with  a  Spoon. 

In  trolling,  the  longer  the  line  the  better,  for  the  very 
palpable  reason  that  the  boat  frightens  the  fish,  but  with  a 
long  line  the  fish  has  time  to  recover  from  his  fright  before 
the  spoon  comes  glinting  by  him.  Of  course,  a  spoon 
does  not  look  like  any  sort  of  a  live  creature  when  it  is 
stationary,  but  a  darting  silver  sheen  is  all  that  can  be  seen 
in  the  water,  and  that  does  look  like  a  very  brilliant  and 
very  lively  young  fish  disporting  himself  with  youthful 
impudence  under  the  very  noses  of  his  cannibalistic  grand- 
sires  ;  and  it  is  no  wonder  they  snap  at  it,  if  only  to  teach 
the  young  rascal  a  lesson.  But,  alas !  they  find  that  they 
are  the  pupils  in  the  severe  school  of  experience,  and 
seldom  do  they  live  to  relate  their  adventure  to  their 
companions. 

A  Word  about  Fly-fishing. 

Now,  in  regard  to  fly-fishing,  fly-rods,  reels,  lines,  hooks, 
fly-hooks,  and  all  the  numerous  accessories  of  the  modern 
fisherman,  there  are  books  and  books  written  upon  such 
subjects,  and  there  is  not  room  here  for  a  hundredth  part 
of  what  might  be  and  has  been  well  said  upon  these 
topics;  but  bait -fishing  and  bottom-  or  still-fishing  are 
the  choice  methods  for  boys,  and  could  not  be  well  left 
out  of  the  spring  sports. 


Summer 


CHAPTER  XII 
AQUATIC    SPORTS 

Rowing  Clothes — How  to  Make  a  Bathing-suit — How  to  Avoid  Sun* 
burn— Points  about  Canoeing. 

FROM  the  parent's  point  of  view,  nowhere  that  a  boy's 
restless  nature  impels  him  to  go  is  fraught  with  so  much 
peril  as  the  water,  and  nowhere  is  a  boy  happier  than  when 
he  is  on  the  water,  unless  it  is  when  he  is  in  it.  Nowhere 
can  be  found  a  better  school  for  his  young  mind  and  body 
than  that  furnished  by  boating.  Hence  it  appears  to  be 
the  imperative  duty  for  parents  personally  to  see  that 
their  children  are  taught  to  swim  as  soon  as  their  little 
limbs  have  strength  enough  to  make  the  proper  motions. 

Boating  Clothes. 

In  aquatic  sports  of  all  kinds,  if  you  expect  to  have  fun, 
you  must  dress  appropriately.  You  should  have  a  suit 
of  old  clothes  that  you  can  change  for  dry  ones  when 
the  sport  is  over.  When  boating,  it  is  nonsense  to  pre- 
tend you  can  keep  dry  under  all  the  varying  conditions 
of  wind  and  weather.  If  your  purse  is  small,  and  you 
want  a  good  rowing-suit,  it  can  be  made  of  last  winter's 
woollen  underclothes,  and  will  answer  for  the  double 
purpose  of  rowing  and  bathing. 


i52  Summer 


How  to  Make  a  Bathing-suit. 

First  take  an  old  woollen  undershirt  and  cut  the  sleeves 
off  above  the  elbows.  Then  coax  your  mother,  aunt,  or 
sister  to  sew  it  up  in  front  like  a  sweater,  and  hem  the 
edges  of  the  sleeves  where  they  have  just  been  cut  off. 

Next  take  a  pair  of  woollen  drawers  and  have  them 
sewed  up  in  front,  leaving  an  opening  at  the  top  about  four 
inches  in  length  ;  turn  the  top  edge  down  all  around  to 
cover  a  piece  of  tape,  that  should  be  long  enough  to  tie  in 
front.  Have  this  hem  or  flap  sewed  down  to  cover  the 
tape,  and  allow  the  two  ends  of  the  tape  to  protrude  at 
the  opening  in  front.  The  tape  should  not  be  sewed  to 
the  cloth,  but  should  move  freely,  so  that  you  can  tighten 
or  loosen  it  at  will.  Cut  the  drawers  off  at  the  knees  and 
have  the  edges  hemmed,  and  you  will  have  a  first-class 
bathing-  or  rowing-suit. 

If  woollen  clothes  are  not  to  be  had,  cotton  will  do,  but 
wool  is  coolest  and  warmest  as  the  occasion  may  require. 

When  rowing  wear  old  socks,  woollen  ones  if  you  have 
them,  and  old  shoes  cut  down  like  slippers.  The  latter  can 
be  kicked  off  at  a  moment's  notice,  and,  if  lost,  they  are  of 
no  value,  and  may  be  easily  replaced. 

When  on  shore  a  long  pair  of  woollen  stockings  to  cover 
your  bare  legs  and  a  sweater  to  pull  over  your  sleeveless 
shirt  are  handy  and  comfortable,  but  while  sailing,  pad- 
dling, or  rowing  in  hot  weather  the  rowing-suit  is  generally 
all  that  comfort  requires.  Of  course,  if  your  skin  is  tender, 
you  are  liable  to  be  terribly  sunburned  on  your  arms,  neck, 
and  legs,  but 

Sunburn 

may   be   avoided   by  gradually   accustoming   your   limbs 
to  the  exposure.     Dearly  will  you  pay  for  your  negligence 


Aquatic  Sports  153 


if  you  go  out  for  a  day  with  bare  arms  or  legs  in  the  hot 
sun  before  you  have  toughened  yourself,  and  little  will 
you  sleep  that  night. 

I  have  seen  young  men  going  to  business  the  day  fol- 
lowing a  regatta  with  no  collars  on  their  red  necks,  and 
no  shirt  over  their  soft  undershirts,  the  skin  being  too 
tender  to  bear  the  touch  of  the  stiff,  starched  linen,  and 
I  have  known  others  who  could  not  sleep  a  wink  on 
account  of  the  feverish  state  of  their  bodies,  caused  by 
the  hot  sun  and  a  tender  skin.  Most  boys  have  had  some 
experience  from  sunburn,  acquired  while  bathing.  If  care 
is  taken  to  cover  your  arms  and  legs  after  about  an  hour's 
exposure,  you  will  find  that  in  place  of  being  blistered,  your 
skin  will  be  first  pink  and  then  a  faint  brownish  tint,  which 
each  succeeding  exposure  will  deepen  until  your  limbs  will 
assume  that  dark,  rich  mahogany  color  of  which  athletes 
are  so  proud.  This  makes  your  skin  proof  against  fu- 
ture attacks  of  the  hottest  rays  of  the  sun. 

Besides  the  pain  and  discomfort  of  a  sudden  and  bad 
sunburn  on  your  arms,  the  effect  is  not  desirable,  as  it  is 
very  liable  to  cover  your  arms  with  freckles.  I  have  often 
seen  men  with  beautifully  bronzed  arms  and  freckled 
shoulders,  caused  by  going  out  in  their  shells  first  with 
short  sleeves  and  then  with  shirts  from  which  the  sleeves 
were  entirely  cut  away,  exposing  the  white,  tender  shoul- 
ders to  the  fierce  heat,  to  which  it  was  unaccustomed. 

It  is  a  good  plan  to  cover  the  exposed  parts  of  your 
body  with  sweet-oil,  vaseline,  mutton-tallow,  beef-tallow, 
or  lard.  This  is  good  as  a  preventive  while  in  the  sun, 
and  excellent  as  an  application  after  exposure.  Any  sort 
of  oil  or  grease  that  does  not  contain  salt  is  good  for  your 
skin. 


154  Summer 


Clothes  for  Canoeing. 

In  canoeing  I  have  found  it  convenient  to  dress  as  I 
would  in  a  shell-boat,  but  I  generally  have  had  a  sweater 
and  a  pair  of  long  trousers  stowed  away,  ready  to  be  pulled 
on  over  my  rowing  clothes  when  I  landed.  Once,  when 
I  neglected  to  put  these  extra  clothes  aboard,  I  was  storm- 
bound up  Long  Island  Sound,  and  leaving  my  boat,  I  took 
the  train  home,  but  I  did  not  enjoy  my  trip,  for  the  bare 
legs  and  arms  and  knit  cap  attracted  more  attention  than 
is  pleasant  for  a  modest  man. 

Do  not  wear  laced  shoes  in  a  canoe,  for  experience  has 
taught  boating-men  that  about  the  most  inconvenient  articles 
of  clothing  to  wear  in  the  water  are  laced  shoes.  While 
swimming  your  feet  are  of  absolutely  no  use  if  encased 
in  this  style  of  foot-gear,  and  all  the  work  must  be  done 
with  the  arms.  But  if  you  have  old  slippers,  they  may 
be  kicked  off,  and  then  you  are  dressed  practically  in 
a  bathing-suit,  and  can  swim  with  comfort  and  ease. 

Possibly  these  precautions  may  suggest  the  idea  that  a 
ducking  is  not  at  all  an  improbable  accident,  and  it  must  be 
confessed  that  the  boy  who  thinks  he  can  learn  to  handle 
small  boats  without  an  occasional  unlooked-for  swim  is 
liable  to  discover  his  mistake  before  he  has  become  master 
of  his  craft. 

Stick  to  Your  Boat. 

Always  remember  that  a  boy's  wet  head  is  a  very  small 
object  in  the  water,  and  liable  to  be  passed  by  unnoticed, 
but  that  a  capsized  boat  can  scarcely  fail  to  attract  attention 
and  ensure  a  speedy  rescue  from  an  awkward  position. 
As  for  the  real  danger  of  boating,  it  cannot  be  great  where 
care  is  used.  Not  one  fatality  has  occurred  on  the  water 


Aquatic  Sports  155 


among  all  of  my  large  circle  of  boating  friends,  and 
personally  I  have  never  witnessed  a  fatal  accident  in  all  the 
years  I  have  spent  rowing  and  sailing. 

Life-preservers. 

All  canoes  should  have  a  good  cork  life-preserver  in 
them  when  the  owner  ventures  far  away  from  land.  I 
never  but  once  ventured  any  distance  without  one,  and  that 
is  the  only  time  I  was  ever  in  need  of  a  life-preserver.  The 
ordinary  cork  jacket  is  best.  It  can  be  used  for  a  seat, 
and  when  spread  on  the  bottom  of  your  canoe,  with  an  old 
coat  or  some  similar  article  thrown  over  it  for  a  cushion,  it 
is  not  at  all  an  uncomfortable  seat.  Most  canoes  have  air- 
tight compartments  fore  and  aft — that  is,  at  both  ends — and 
the  boat  itself  is  then  a  good  life-preserver.  Even  without 
the  air-tight  compartments,  unless  your  boat  is  loaded  with 
ballast  or  freight,  there  is  no  danger  of  its  sinking.  A 
canvas  canoe,  as  a  rule,  has  enough  woodwork  about  it 
to  support  your  weight  when  the  boat  is  full  of  water. 

An  upset  canvas  canoe  supported  me  for  an  hour  and  a 
half  during  a  blow  on  Long  Island  Sound,  and  had  not  a 
passing  steamer  rescued  me,  the  canoe  would  evidently 
have  buoyed  me  up  as  long  as  I  could  have  held  onto  the 
htill. 


CHAPTER  XIII 

THE  LAND-LUBBER'S  CHAPTER 

Common   Nautical    Terms  and  Expressions   Defined— How  to  Sail  a 

Boat— Boat  Rigs. 

THERE  are  a  few  common  terms  with  which  all  who 
venture  on  the  water  should  be  familiar,  not  only  for 
convenience,  but  for  prudential  reasons. 

Accidents  are  liable  to  happen  to  boats  of  all  descrip- 

Port. 


Stern. 


Starboard. 
FIG.  104.— Top  View  of  Small  Boat 

tions,  and  often  the  safety  of  property  and  life  depend  upon 
the  passengers'  ability  to  understand  what  is  said  to  them 
by  the  officers  or  sailors  in  charge  of  the  craft. 

To  those  who  are  familiar  with  the  water  and  shipping 
it  may  seem  absurd  to  define  the  bow  and  stern  of  a  boat, 
but  there  are  boys  who  will  read  this  book  who  cannot 
tell  the  bow  from  the  stern,  so  we  will  begin  this  chapter 
with  the  statement  that 

The  bow  is  the  front  end  of  the  boat,  and 


The  Land- Lubber's  Chapter  157 

The  stern  is  the  rear  end  of  the  boat 

Fore'ard  is  toward  the  bow  of  the  boat. 

Aft  is  toward  the  stern  of  the  boat.  Both  terms  are 
used  by  sailors  as  forward  and  backward  are  used  by 
landsmen. 

The  hull  is  the  boat  itself  without  masts,  spars,  or 
rigging.  A  skiff  and  a  birch  bark  canoe  are  hulls. 

The  keel  is  the  piece  of  timber  running  along  the 
centre  of  the  bottom  of  the  hull,  like  the  runner  of  a  skate, 
and  used  to  give  the  boat  a  hold  on  the  water,  so  that 
she  will  not  slide  sideways. 

When  you  are  sitting  in  the  stern  of  a  boat,  facing 
the  bow,  the  side  next  to  your  right  hand  is  the  right- 
hand  side  of  the  boat,  and  the  side  next  to  your  left  hand  is 
the  left-hand  side  of  the  boat ;  but  these  terms  are  not 
used  by  seamen  ;  they  always  say 

Starboard  for  the  right-hand  side  of  the  boat,  and 

Port  for  the  left-hand  side  of  the  boat.  Formerly  the 
left-hand  side  was  called  the  larboard,  but  this  occasioned 
many  serious  mistakes  on  account  of  the  similarity  of  the 
sound  of  larboard  and  starboard  when  used  in  giving 
orders. 

Red  and  Green  Lights. 

After  dark  a  red  light  is  carried  on  the  port  side  and 
a  green  light  on  the  starboard  side  of  all  vessels  in  motion. 
If  you  can  remember  that  port  wine  is  red,  and  that  the 
port  light  is  of  the  same  color,  you  will  always  be  able 
to  tell  in  which  direction  an  approaching  craft  is  pointing 
by  the  relative  location  of  the  lights. 

"  When  both  lights  you  see  ahead, 
Port  your  helm  and  show  your  red ! 
Green  to  green  and  red  to  red, 
Your're  all  right,  and  go  ahead  ! " 


158 


Summer 


If  you  are  a  real  land-lubber,  the  verse  quoted  will  be 
of  little  service,  because  you  will  not  know  how  to  port 
your  helm.  In  fact,  you  probably  will  not  know  where 


FIG.  105. — Helm — Lever,  or  Stick  for  Tiller. 

to  look  for  the  helm  or  what  it  looks  like ;  but  only  a  few 
of  our  readers  are  out-and-out  land-lubbers,  and  most  of 
them  know  that  the  helm  is  in  some  way  connected  with 
the  steering  apparatus. 

The  rudder  is  the  movable  piece  of  board  at  the  stern 
of  the  boat  by  means  of  which  the  craft  is  guided.  The 
rudder  is  moved  by  a  lever,  ropes,  or  a  wheel. 

The  tiller  is  the  lever  for  moving  the  rudder,  or  the 
ropes  used  for  the  same  purpose  (Fig.  105). 

The  wheel  is  the  wheel  whose  spokes  end  in  handles  on 
the  outer  edge  of  the  rim  or  felly,  and  it  is  used  for  moving 
the  rudder  (Fig.  106). 

The  helm  is  that  particular  part  of  the  steering  appa- 
ratus that  you  put  your  hands  on  when  steering. 

The  deck  is  the  roof  of  the  hull. 


The  Land- Lubber 's  Chapter 


159 


The  centre-board  is  an  adjustable  keel  that  can  be 
raised  or  lowered  at  pleasure.  It  is  an  American  invention. 
The  centre-board,  as  a  rule,  is  only  used  on  comparatively 
small  vessels.  Mr.  Joseph  H.  Tooker,  in  a  note  to  the 
New  York  Sun,  November  24,  1895,  says  that  the  inventor 
of  the  centre-board  is  Mr.  Salem  Wines,  who  kept  a  shop 
on  Water  Street,  near  Market  Slip,  and,  when  alive  was  a 
well-known  New  York  boat-builder.  His  body  now  lies  in 
Greenwood  Cemetery,  and  upon  the  headstone  of  his  grave 
is  the  inscription,  "  The  Inventor  of  the  Centre-Board." 

For  sailing,  the  boat  or  hull  is  rigged  with  masts  and 
spars  for  spreading  the  sails  to  catch  the  wind. 


FIG.  106.— Helm— The  Wheel. 


The  masts  are  the  upright  poles  or  sticks  that  hold  the 
sails. 

The  yards  are  the  poles  or  sticks  at  right  angles  with 
the  masts  that  spread  the  sails. 


160  Summer 


The  boom  is  the  movable  spar  at  the  bottom  of  the  sail. 
The  gaff  is   the   pole   or  spar  for  spreading  the  top 
or  head  of  the  sail  (Fig.  107). 

The  sail  is  a  big  canvas  kite,  of  which  the  boom,  gaff, 
and  masts  are  the  kite-sticks.     You  must  not  understand 
by  this  that  the  sail  goes  soaring  up  in  the 
air,  for  the  weight  of  the  hull  prevents  that ; 
but  if  you  make  fast  a  large  kite  to  the  mast 
of  a  boat  it  would  be  a  sail,  and  if  you  had 
a  line  long  and  strong  enough,  and  should 
fasten  any  spread  sail  to  it,  there  can  be  no 
doubt  that  the  sail  would  fly. 
FIG.  107  —A  Sail  "^he  sPars  are  tne  masts,  bowsprit,  yards, 

and  gaffs. 

The  bowsprit  is  the  stick  or  sprit  projecting  from  the 
bow  of  the  boat  (Fig.  137,  Sloop). 

The  foremast  is  the  mast  next  to  the  bow — the  forward 
mast  (Fig.  135,  Ship). 

The  mainmast  is  the  second  mast — the  mast  next   to 
the  foremast. 

Mizzen-mast  is  the   mast  next  to  and    back  of    the 
mainmast  (Fig.  135,  Ship). 

The  rigging  of  a  boat  consists  of   the    ropes  or  lines 
attached    to   its    masts   and  sails,  but  a  boat's    rig    refers 
to  the  number  of  masts  as  well  as  to  the  shape  of  its  sails. 
Stays  are  strong  ropes  supporting  the  masts,  fore  and  aft. 
Shrouds   are    strong    ropes    reaching   from    the    mast- 
heads to  the  sides  of  the  vessel ;  supports  for  the  masts, 
starboard  and  port. 

Ratlines  are    the  little    ropes   that  form  the  steps  or 
foot  ropes  that  run  cross-wise  between  the  shrouds. 

The  painter  is  the  rope  at  the  bow  of  a  small  boat, 
used  for  the  same  purpose  as  is  a  hitching-strap  on  a  horse. 


The  Land-Lubber's  Chapter 


161 


The  standing  rigging  consists  of  the  stays  and  shrouds. 

The  running  rigging,  of  all  the  ropes  used  in  handling 
yards  and  sails. 

The  sheets  are   the   ropes  or  lines   attached   to    the 
corners  of  sails,  by  which  they  are  governed  (Fig.  108). 

The  main  sheet  is  the  rope  that  governs  the  mainsail. 

The  jib  sheet  is  the  rope  that  governs  the  jib  sail. 

The  gaskets  are   the  ropes  used  in  lashing  the  sails 
when  furled. 

The  braces  are  the  ropes  used  in  swinging  the  yards 
around. 

The  jib  stay  is  the  stay  that  runs  from  the  foremast  to 
the  bowsprit. 

The  bob  stay  is  practically  an  extension  of  the  jib  stay 
and  the  chief  support  of  the 
spars.  It  connects  the  bow 
of  the  boat  with  the  bow- 
sprit and  prevents  the  lat- 
ter from  bobbing  up  and 
down. 

Besides  the  port  and 
starboard  sides  of  a  boat 
there  are  the  windward  and 
leeward  sides.  Do  not  un- 
derstand by  this  that  the 
boat  has  four  sides  like  a 
square.  Windward  may 
be  the  port  or  the  starboard 
side,  according  to  the  di- 
rection the  wind  blows ; 
because 

Windward  means  the  side  of  the  boat  against  which  the 
wind  blows  ;  the  side  where  the  wind  climbs  aboard  ;  or  it 
ii 


FIG.  108.— Sail  and  Sheet. 


1 62  Summer 


may  mean  the  direction  from  which  the  wind  comes.     The 
opposite  side  is  called 

Leeward — that  is,  the  side  of  the  boat  opposite  to  that 
against  which  the  wind  blows,  where  the  wind  tumbles 
overboard,  or  the  side  opposite  to  windward.  When  you 
are  sailing  you  may  be  near  a 

Lee  Shore. — That  is,  the  shore  on  your  lee  side  against 
which  the  wind  blows,  or  a 

Windward  Shore. — That  is,  the  land  on  your  windward 
side  from  which  the  wind  blows. 

All  seamen  dread  a  lee  shore,  as  it  is  a  most  dangerous 
shore  to  approach,  from  the  fact  that  the  wind  is  doing  its 
best  to  blow  you  on  the  rocks  or  beach.  But  the  windward 
shore  can  be  approached  with  safety,  because  the  wind 
will  keep  you  off  the  rocks,  and  if  it  is  blowing  hard,  the 
land  will  break  the  force  of  the  wind. 

In  a  canoe  or  shell  the  boatman  sits  either  directly  on 
the  bottom,  or,  as  in  the  shell,  very  close  to  it,  and  the 
weight  of  his  body  serves  to  keep  the  boat  steady,  but  lar- 
ger crafts  seldom  rely  upon  live  weights  to  steady  them. 
They  use 

Ballast. — That  is,  weights  of  stone,  lead,  iron,  or  sand* 
bags  used  to  balance  the  boat  and  make  her  steady. 

As  has  been  said  before  in  this  chapter,  the  sail  is  a  big 
canvas  kite  made  fast  to  the  boat,  and  called  a  sail,  but  the 
ordinary  kite  has  its  covering  stretched  permanently  on 
rigid  sticks. 

The  sail,  however,  can  be  stretched  to  its  full  extent  or 
only  partially,  or  it  may  be  rolled  up,  exposing  nothing 
but  the  masts  to  the  force  of  the  wind.  To  accomplish  all 
this  there  are  various  ropes  and  attachments,  all  of  which 
are  named. 


The  Land-Lubber's  Chapter 


It   is   quite   important   that   the    young    sailor    should 
know  the  names  of  all  the 

Parts  of  a  Sail. 

Luff.— That  part  of  the  sail  adjoining  the  mast— the  front 
of  the  sail  (Fig.  109). 

Leach.— That  part  of    the  sail  stretched   between  the 
outer    or   after  end    of    the 
boom  and  the  outer  end  of 
the   gaff  —  the   back  part  of 
the  sail  (Fig.  109). 

Head. — That  part  of  the 
sail  adjoining  the  gaff — the 
top  of  the  sail. 

Foot. — That  part  of  the 
sail  adjoining  the  boom  — 
the  bottom  of  the  sail  (Fig. 
109). 

Clews. — A  general  name 
for  the  four  corners  of  the 


w 


sail. 


FIG.  109.— Parts  of  Sail. 


Clew.  —  The    particular 

corner  at  the  foot  of  the  sail  where  the  leach  and  boom 
meet  (Fig.  109). 

Tack. — The  corner  of  the  sail  where  boom  and  mast 
meet  (Fig.  109). 

Throat  or  Nock. — The  corner  of  the  sail  where  gaff  and 
mast  meet  (Fig.  109). 

Peak. — Corner   of   the  sail   where   the   leach  and   gaff 
meet  (Fig.  109). 

How  to  Steer  a  Boat. 

When  you  wish  your  boat  to  turn  to  the  right  push 
your  helm  to  the  left.     This  will  push  the  rudder  to  the 


164 


Summer 


right,  and  turn  the  boat  in  that  direction.  When  you  wish 
your  boat  to  turn  to  the  left  push  your  helm  to  the  right. 
In  other  words,  starboard  your  helm  and  you  will  turn  to 
the  port  (Fig.  no).  Port  your  helm  and  you  will  turn  to 
the  starboard  (Fig.  in). 

From  a  reference  to  the  diagram  you  may  see  that 
when  you  port  your  helm  you  move  the  tiller  to  the 
port  side  of  the  boat,  and  when  you  starboard  your  helm 


FIG.  no. — Starboard  Helm. 


FIG.  in.— Port  Helm. 


you  move  your  tiller  to  the  starboard  side  of  the  boat 
(Fig.  no),  but  to  ease  your  helm  you  move  your  helm 
toward  the  centre  of  the  boat — that  is,  amidships. 

How  to  Sail  a  Boat. 

If  you  fasten  the  bottom  of  a  kite  to  the  ground,  you  will 
find  that  the  wind  will  do  its  best  to  blow  the  kite  over, 
and  if  the  kite  is  fastened  to  the  mast  of  a  toy  boat,  the 
wind  will  try  to  blow  the  boat  over. 

In  sailing  a  boat  the  effort  of  the  wind  apparently  has 


The  Land- Lubber's  Chapter  165 

but  one  object,  and  that  is  the  upsetting  of  the  boat.  The 
latter  being  well  balanced,  is  constantly  endeavoring  to 
sit  upright  on  its  keel,  and  you,  as  a  sailor,  are  aiding  the 
boat  in  the  struggle,  at  the  same  time  subverting  the 
purpose  of  the  wind  to  suit  your  own  ideas.  It  is  an 
exciting  game,  in  which  man  usually  comes  out  ahead,  but 
the  wind  gains  enough  victories  to  keep  its  courage  up. 

Every  boat  has  peculiarities  of  its  own,  and  good  traits 
as  well  as  bad  ones,  which  give  the  craft  a  personal  char- 
acter, that  lends  much  to  your  interest,  and  even  affects 
your  sensibilities  to  the  extent  of  causing  you  to  have  the 
same  affection  for  a  good,  trustworthy  craft  that  you  have 
for  an  intelligent  and  kind  dog  or  horse. 

A  properly  balanced  sailboat,  with  main  sheet  trimmed 
flat  and  free  helm,  should  be  as  sensitive  as  a  weather- 
cock and  act  like  one — that  is,  she  ought  to  swing  around 
until  her  bow  pointed  right  into  the  "eye  of  the  wind," 
the  direction  from  which  the  wind  blows.  Such  a  craft  it  is 
not  difficult  to  sail,  but  it  frequently  happens  that  the  boat 
that  is  given  to  you  to  sail  is  not  properly  balanced,  and 
shows  a  constant  tendency  to  "  come  up  in  the  wind  "-  -  face 
the  wind — when  you  are  doing  your  best  to  keep  her  sails 
full  and  keep  her  on  her  course.  This  may  be  caused  by 
too  much  sail  aft.  The  boat  is  then  said  to  carry  a  weather 
helm. 

Weather  Helm.— When  a  boat  shows  a  constant  ten- 
dency to  come  up  in  the  wind. 

Lee  Helm.— When  a  boat  shows  a  constant  tendency  to 
fall  off  the  wind— that  is,  when  the  wind  blows  her  bow  to 
the  leeward.  This  is  a  much  worse  trait  than  the  former, 
and  a  boat  with  a  lee  helm  is  a  dangerous  boat.  It  may  be 
possible  to  remedy  it  by  adding  sail  aft  or  reducing  sail 
forward,  which  should  immediately  be  done. 


1 66  Summer 


In  spite  of  the  fact,  already  stated,  that  the  wind's 
constant  effort  is  to  capsize  a  boat,  there  is  little  or  no 
danger  of  a  properly  rigged  boat  upsetting  unless  the 
sheets  are  fast  or  hampered  in  some  way.  When  a  sailboat 
upsets  it  is,  of  course,  because  the  wind  blows  it  over. 
Now,  the  wind  cannot  blow  a  boat  over  unless  the  boat 
presents  some  surface  larger  than  its  hull  for  the  wind  to 
blow  against,  and  the  sail  is  the  only  object  that  offers 
enough  surface  to  the  breeze  to  cause  an  upset. 

If  the  sheet  is  slackened,  the  sail  will  swing  around  until 
it  flaps  like  a  flag  and  only  the  thin  edge  is  presented  to 
the  wind ;  and  a  boat  that  a  flag  will  upset  is  no  boat  for 
beginners  to  trust  themselves  in.  True  the  boom  may  be 
very  long  and  heavy  enough  to  make  it  dangerous  to  let  so 
much  of  it  overboard,  but  this  is  seldom  the  case.  A  good 
sailor  keeps  his  eyes  constantly  on  the  sails  and  trims  them 
to  take  advantage  of  the  slightest  favorable  breeze.  In 
place  of  losing  control  of  his  sail  by  letting  go  the  sheets 
he  will  ease  the  tiller  so  as  to  "  spill  "  part  of  the  wind — that 
is,  let  the  forward  part  or  luff  of  the  sail  shake  a  bit.  Or, 
in  case  of  a  sudden  puff  of  wind,  he  may  deem  it  necessary 
to  "  luff" — that  is,  let  her  shake — and  slacken  the  sheets,  too. 

Trimmed  Flat. — Sheets  hauled  in  until  the  boom  is  only 
a  little  to  the  leeward  of  the  helm  (Fig.  112). 

Close-Hauled. — Sheets  trimmed  flat  and  the  boat  point- 
ing as  near  as  possible  to  the  eye  of  the  wind.  Then  the 
sail  cannot  belly,  and  is  called  flat  (Fig.  112). 

To  Sail  Close-Hauled. 

The  skipper  must  watch  that  his  sail  does  not  flap  or 
ripple  at  the  throat,  for  that  means  that  he  is  pointing  too 
close  to  the  wind  and  that  some  of  the  breeze  is  blowing  on 


The  Land-Lubber's  Chapter  167 


both  sides  of  his  sail,  which  even  a  novice  can  see  will  re- 
tard the  boat. 

Upon  discovering  a  rippling  motion  at  the  luff  of  the 
sail  put  the  helm  up— that  is,  move  the  tiller  a  little  to  wind- 
ward until  the  sail  stops  its  flopping. 

Before  the  Wind.— When  the  wind  is  astern;  sailing 
with  the  wind  ;  sailing  directly  from  windward  to  leeward 
(Fig. 


FIG.  ii2.— Close  Hauled. 


FIG.  113.— Before  the  Wind. 


In  order  to  reach  the  desired  point  it  is  often  expedient 
to  sail  before  the  wind,  but  unless  the  wind  is  light,  begin- 
ners had  better  not  try  this.  To  sail  before  the  wind  you 
let  your  sheets  out  until  the  boom  stands  at  almost  right 
angles  with  the  boat.  Keep  your  eye  on  the  sail  and  see 
that  it  does  not  flap,  for  if  the  man  at  the  helm  is  careless 
and  allows  the  boat  to  point  enough  away  from  the  direc- 
tion of  the  wind  to  allow  the  wind  to  get  on  the  other  side 
of  the  sail,  the  latter  will  swing  around  or  jibe  with  such 


1 68  Summer 


force  as  to  endanger  the  mast,  if  it  does  not  knock  some  one 
overboard. 

The  price  of  liberty  is  constant  vigilance,  and  the  price 
of  a  good  sail  is  the  same.  I  have  seen  a  mast  snapped  off 
clean  at  the  deck  by  a  jibe,  and  once  when  out  after  ducks 
every  one  was  so  intent  upon  the  game  that  proper  at- 
tention was  not  paid  to  the  sail.  The  wind  got  round 
and  brought  the  boom  with  a  swing  aft,  knocking  the 
captain  of  our  boat  club  overboard.  Had  the  boom  hit 
him  in  the  head  and  stunned  him,  the  result  might  have 
been  fatal. 

Wing  and  Wing. — When  a  schooner  goes  before  the 
wind  with  one  sail  out  at  nearly  right  angles  on  the  port 
side  and  the  other  in  the  same  position  on  the  starboard 
side  she  is  said  to  be  wing  and  wing,  and  presents  a  beau- 
tiful sight. 

Tacking. — Working  to  the  windward  by  a  series  of 
diagonal  moves. 

Legs. — The  moves  or  diagonal  courses  made  in  tacking. 
It  is  apparent  to  the  most  unthinking  observer  that  no  ves- 
sel propelled  by  sail  can  move  against  the  direct  course  of 
the  wind,  that  is,  nothing  but  electricity,  naphtha,  steam,  or 
some  such  power  can  drive  a  boat  into  the  eye  of  the  wind. 
But  what  cannot  be  accomplished  in  a  direct  manner  can 
be  done  by  a  series  of  compromises,  each  of  which  will 
bring  us  nearer  to  the  desired  point. 

First  we  point  the  boat  to  the  right  or  left,  as  the  case 
may  be,  as  near  or  as  close  to  the  wind  as  the  boat  will  sail. 
Then  we  come  about  and  sail  in  the  other  direction  as 
close  as  practicable  to  the  eye  of  the  wind,  and  each  time 
we  gain  something  in  a  direct  line. 

When  your  boat  changes  its  direction  on  a  tack  it  is 
done  by  "  jibing  "  or  "  coming  about." 


The  Land-Lubber's  Chapter 


169 


Jibing. — With  the  wind  on  the  quarter,  haul  the  main 
boom  aft  or  amidships  with  all  possible  speed,  by  means 
of  the  main  sheets  (Fig.  115),  and  as  the  wind  strikes  the 


Fig.  115.  —  Boom 
hauled  in. 


Fig.  116. — On  new 
course. 


Fig.  114.— Before 
the  wind. 


l! 


FIGS.  114,  US  and  116.— Jibing. 

sail  on  the  other  side  let  it  out  as  deliberately  as  possible 
until  it  reaches  the  position  desired  (Fig.  116). 

Beginners  should  never  attempt  to  jibe,  for  if  there  is 


Summer 


more  than  a  capful  of  wind,  the  sail  will  probably  get 
away  from  them,  and,  as  described  in  going  before  the 
wind,  some  disaster  is  liable  to  occur.  Experts  only  jibe 
in  light  winds,  and  frequently  lower  the  peak,  so  as  to 
reduce  sail,  before  attempting  a  jibe. 

When  you  wish  to  come  about  see  that  all  the  tackle, 
ropes,  etc.,  are  clear  and  in  working  order,  and  that  you 
are  making  good  headway,  then  call  out :  "  Helm's  a-lee !  " 


FIGS.  117,  118,  119  and  120.— Coming  About 


or  "  Ready  about !  "  and  push  the  tiller  in  the  direction 
opposite  to  that  from  which  the  wind  blows — that  is,  to  the 
lee  side  of  the  boat.  This  will  bring  the  bow  around  until 
the  wind  strikes  the  sail  upon  the  side  opposite  to  that 
which  it  struck  before  the  helm  was  a-lee  (Figs.  117,  118, 
119,  120). 

If  you  are  aboard  a  sloop  or  schooner,  ease  off  the  jib 
sheet,  but  keep  control  of  it,  so  that  as  the  boat  comes  up 
to  the  wind  you  can  make  the  jib  help  the  bow  around  by 
holding  the  sheets  so  as  to  catch  the  wind  aback.  When 
the  bow  of  the  craft  has  passed  the  eye  of  the  wind  and  the 


The  Land- Lubber's  Chapter  171 

sail  begins  to  fill  give  the  order  to  make  fast  or  trim  the 
jib,  and  off  you  go  upon  the  opposite  tack,  or  on  a  new  leg. 

If  the  wind  is  light,  or  if,  for  any  cause,  the  boat  works 
slowly,  you  can  sometimes  help  her  by  trimming  in  the  main 
sheet  when  you  let  the  jib  sheet  fly.  In  the  diagram  of 
coming  about  no  jib  is  shown. 

Wearing  is  a  term  sometimes  used  in  place  of  jibing. 

In  a  Thunder-Storm. 

A  thunder-storm  is  always  an  uncertain  thing.  There 
may  be  a  veritable  tornado  hidden  in  the  black  clouds  that 
we  see  rising  on  the  horizon,  or  it  may  simply  "iron  out  the 
wind" --that  is,  go  grumbling  overhead  —  and  leave  us 
becalmed,  to  get  home  the  best  way  we  can ;  generally  by 
what  the  boys  called  a  "white -ash  breeze" — that  is,  by 
using  the  sweeps  or  oars. 

On  Long  Island  Sound  a  thunder-storm  seems  to  have 
certain  fixed  rules  of  conduct.  In  the  first  place,  it  comes 
up  from  the  leeward,  or  against  the  wind.  Just  before  the 
storm  strikes  you  for  an  instant  the  wind  ceases  and  the 
sails  flap  idly.  Then  look  out !  for  in  nine  cases  out  of  ten 
you  are  struck  the  next  moment  by  a  sudden  squall  from 
exactly  the  opposite  direction  from  which  the  wind  blew  a 
moment  before. 

What  to  Do. 

Make  for  the  nearest  port  with  all  speed,  and  keep  a 
man  at  the  down  haul  ready  at  a  moment's  notice  to  lower 
sail.  The  moment  the  wind  stops  drop  the  sail  and  make 
everything  snug,  leaving  only  bare  poles.  When  the 
thunder-squall  strikes  you,  be  it  ever  so  hard,  you  are  now 
in  little  danger ;  and  if  the  wind  from  the  new  quarter  is 
not  too  fresh,  you  can  hoist  sail  again  and  make  the  beet 


172  Summer 


of  your  way  to  the  nearest  port,  where  you  can  "  get  in  out 
of  the  wet." 

If  the  wind  is  quite  fresh  keep  your  peak  down,  and 
with  a  reefed  sail  speed  on  your  way.  If  it  is  a  regular 
howler,  let  your  boat  drive  before  the  wind  under  bare 
poles  until  you  can  find  shelter  or  until  it  blows  over,  and 
the  worst  mishap  you  are  likely  to  incur  is  a  good  soaking 
from  the  rain. 

Shortening  Sail. — Just  as  soon  as  the  boat  heels  over  too 
far  for  safety,  or  as  soon  as  you  are  convinced  that  there  is 
more  wind  than  you  need  for  comfortable  sailing,  it  is  time 
to  take  a  reef— that  is,  to  roll  up  the  bottom  of  the  sail 
to  the  row  of  little  ropes  or  reefing  points  on  the  sail  and 
make  fast  there.  This,  of  course,  makes  a  smaller  sail,  and 
that  is  what  you  wish. 

While  under  way  it  will  be  found  impossible  to  reef  a  sail 
except  when  sailing  close-hauled.  So  the  boat  is  brought 
up  into  the  wind  by  pushing  the  helm  down,  as  if  you  in- 
tended to  come  about.  When  possible  it  is  better  to  lower 
the  sail  entirely  before  attempting  to  put  in  a  reef. 

To  Reef  Without  Lowering  Sail. 

It  sometimes  happens  that  on  account  of  the  proximity 
of  a  lee  shore,  and  the  consequent  danger  of  drifting  in 
that  direction,  or  for  some  other  equally  good  reason, 
it  is  unadvisable  to  lower  sail  and  lose  headway.  Under 
such  circumstances  the  main  sheet  must  be  trimmed  flat, 
keeping  the  boat  as  close  as  possible  to  the  wind,  the  helm 
must  be  put  up  hard  a-lee,  and  jib  sheet  trimmed  to  wind- 
ward (Fig.  12 1). 

When  this  is  done  the  wind  will  hit  the  jib,  "  paying  her 
head  off,"  or  pushing  her  bow  to  leeward,  and  this  ten- 
dency is  counteracted  by  the  helm  and  mainsail,  bring- 


The  Land-Liibber's  Chapter  173 


FIG.  121. — Squirming ;  Jib  on  Port  Side,  Boom 
Close-hauled  on  Starboard  Side. 


ing  the  bow  up  into  the 
wind.  This  keeps  the 
boat  squirming.  Low- 
er the  mainsail  until  the 
row  of  reef  points  is 
just  on  a  line  with  the 
boom,  keeping  to  the 
windward  of  the  sail. 
Tie  the  first  point  — 
that  is,  the  one  on  the 
luff  rope — then  the  one 
on  the  leach,  being 
careful  to  stretch  out 
the  foot  of  the  sail. 
Then  tie  the  remaining 
points,  always  making 
a  square  or  reefing 
knot.  Tie  them  to  the  jack  stay  on  the  boom  or  around 
the  boom. 

The  Reef  or  Square  Knot 

is   most   frequently  used,  as  its  name  implies,  in   reefing 

sails.     First  make  a  plain  overhand  knot,  as  in  Fig.   122. 

Then  repeat  the  operation  by  taking  the  end  and  passing 
it  over  and  under  the  loop,  drawing  the 
parts  tight,  as  shown  in  Fig.  123.  Care 
should  be  observed  in  crossing  the  ends 
Squaw  or  Reel  so  that  they  will  always  lay  fairly  along- 
side the  main  parts.  Otherwise  the  knot 

will  prove  a  granny,  and  be  comparatively  worthless. 

To  Shake  Out  a  Reef, 

untie   the   knots,  keeping   to    the   windward   of  the    sail. 
Untie  the  knot  at  the  leach  first,  next  the  one  at  the  luff, 


1 74  Summer 


and  then  the  remaining  points.  In  lowering  a  sail  you  use 
a  rope  called  the  down  haul. 

Starboard  Tack. — When  the  main  boom  is  over  the  port 
side. 

Port  Tack. — When  the  main  boom  is  over  the  starboard 
side. 

Right  of  Way. — All  boats  sailing  on  the  starboard  tack 
have  the  right  of  way  over  all  those  on  the  port  tack.  In 
other  words,  if  you  are  on  the  starboard  tack,  those  on  the 
port  tack  must  keep  out  of  your  way.  Any  boat  sailing 
close-hauled  has  the  right  of  way  over  a  boat  sailing  free. 

Lights  for  Canoe. 

A  canoe  under  sail  at  night  should  have  an  uncolored 
\antern  hung  to  her  mizzen-mast  to  notify  other  craft  that 
$he  is  out  and  objects  to  being  run  down.  The  light  is  put 
on  the  mizzen  so  that  it  may  be  behind  the  skipper  and  not 
dazzle  him. 

What  you  have  read  in  the  foregoing  pages  will  not  be 
found  very  difficult  to  remember,  but  there  is  only  one 
way  to  learn  to  sail  and  that  is  by  sailing.  If  possible,  sail 
with  some  one  who  is  a  good  seaman.  If  this  sort  of  com- 
panion cannot  be  had,  try  it  alone  on  smooth  water  and 
with  short  sail  until  you  accustom  yourself  to  the  boat  and 
its  peculiarities.  No  boy  ever  learned  to  skate  or  swim 
from  books,  but  books  often  have  been  helpful  in  giving 
useful  hints  to  those  who  were  really  learning  by  practical 
experience. 

Some  Do  Nots. 

Do  not  overload  the  boat. 

Do  not  carry  too  much  sail. 

Do  not  sail  in  strange  waters  without  chart  or  compass. 

Do  not  forget  your  anchor. 


The  Land- Lubber's  Chapter  175 


Do  not  forget  your  paddles  or  oars. 

Do  not  attempt  to  learn  to  sail  before  you  know  how  to 
swim. 

Do  not  sit  on  the  gunwale. 

Do  not  put  the  helm  down  too  suddenly  or  too  far. 

Do  not  let  go  the  helm. 

Do  not  mistake  caution  for  cowardice. 

Do  not  be  afraid  to  reef. 

Do  not  fear  the  ridicule  of  other  land-lubbers. 

Do  not  fail  to  keep  the  halyards  and  sheets  clear. 

Do  not  jibe  in  a  stiff  wind. 

Do  not  fail  to  keep  your  head  in  times  of  emergency. 

Do  not  make  a  display  of  bravery  until  the  occasion  de- 
mands it. 

Do  not  allow  mistakes  or  mishaps  to  discourage  you. 

You  will  soon  become  an  expert  and  be  able  to  engage 
in  one  of  our  most  exhilarating,  healthy,  and  manly  sports 
and  earn  the  proud  distinction  of  being  a  good  small-boat 
sailor. 


CHAPTER  XIV 
RIGS  OF  ALL  KINDS  FOR    SMALL  BOATS 

How  to  Distinguish  between  a  Ship,  Bark,  Brig,  and  Schooner— Mer- 
its and  Defects  of  Cat-Boats—Advantages  of  the  Sloop— Rigs  for 
Canoes — Buckeyes  and  Sharpies,. 

THE  two  principal  rigs  for  vessels  are  the  fore-and-aft 
and  the  square  rig. 

Square  rigged  consists  in  having  the  principal  sails 
extended  by  yards  suspended  at  the  middle.  (Fig.  135.) 

Fore-and-aft  rigged  is  having  the  principal  sails  ex- 
tended by  booms  and  gaffs  suspended  by  their  ends  (Figs. 
124,  125,  126,  132,  138  and  137). 

Barks,  brigs,  and  ships  are  all  more  or  less  square  rigged, 
but  schooners,  sloops,  and  catboats  are  all  fore-and-aft 
rigged.  In  these  notes  the  larger  forms  of  boats  are  men- 
tioned only  because  of  the  well-known  interest  boys  take 
in  all  nautical  matters,  but  no  detailed  description  of  the 
larger  craft  will  be  given.  All  that  is  aimed  at  here  is  to 
give  the  salient  points,  so  that  the  youngsters  will  know 
the  name  of  the  rig  when  they  see  it. 

The  Cat. 

There  is  a  little  snub-nosed  American  who,  in  spite  of 
her  short  body  and  broad  waist,  is  deservedly  popular 
among  all  our  amateur  sailors. 

The  appreciation  of  her  charms  is  felt  and  acknowl- 
edged by  all  her  companions  without  envy,  not  because 


Rigs  of  All  Kinds  for  Small  Boats     177 

of  her  saucy  looks,  but  on  account  of  her  accommodating 
manners. 

Possessing  a  rare  ability  for  quick  movement,  and  a 
wonderful  power  to  bore  her  way  almost  into  the  very  eye 
of  the  wind,  or  with  double-reefed  sail  to 
dash  through  the  storm  or  gently  slide  up 
alongside  of  a  wharf  or  dock  as  easily  as  a 
rowboat,  the  American  catboat,  with  her 
single  mast  "  chock  up  in  the  eyes  of  her," 
has  made  a  permanent  place  for  herself 
among  our  pleasure  craft,  and  is  omni- 
present in  our  crowded  bays  and  har-  FIG.  124-— The  snub- 

J  nosed  American  Cat 

bors. 

Knowing  that  there  is  little  danger  of  the  catboat  losing 
its  well-earned  popularity,  and  being  somewhat  familiar 
with  many  of  her  peculiarities,  I  am  free  to  say  that  this 
rig,  notwithstanding  its  numerous  good  points,  has  many 
serious  defects  as  a  school-ship,  and  the  beginner  had  bet- 
ter select  some  other  rig  with  which  to  begin  his  practice 
sailing. 

First,  the  great  sail  is  very  heavy  and  difficult  to  hoist 
and  reef.  Second,  in  going  before  the  wind  there  is  con- 
stant danger  of  jibing,  with  serious  results.  Third,  the  cat- 
boat  has  a  very  bad  habit  of  rolling  when  sailing  before  the 
wind,  and  each  time  the  boat  rolls  from  side  to  side  she  is 
liable  to  dip  the  end  of  her  heavy  boom  in  the  water  and 
"  trip  herself  up."  When  a  boat  trips  up  she  does  not 
necessarily  go  down,  but  she  is  likely  to  upset,  placing  the 
young  sailors  in  an  unenviable,  if  not  a  dangerous,  position. 
Fourth,  when  the  craft  begins  to  swagger  before  the  wind 
she  is  liable  to  "  goose  neck,"  that  is  throw  her  boom  up 
against  the  mast,  which  is  another  accident  fraught  with 
the  possibilities  of  serious  mischief. 


i78 


Summer 


The  catboat  has  no  bowsprit,  no  jib,  and  no  topsail,  but 
that  most  graceful  of  all  single-stickers, 

The  Sloop, 

possesses  several  jibs,  a  bowsprit,  and  topsail.  Besides 
these,  when  she  is  in  racing  trim,  a  number  of  additional 
sails  are  used.  All  our  great  racers  are  sloops,  and  this  rig 
is  the  most  convenient  for  small  yachts  and  cutters. 

Racing  Sloops. 

A  racing  sloop  (Fig.  137)  carries  a  mainsail,  A,  a  fore  stay- 
sail B,  a  jib,  C,  a  gaff  topsail,  D,  a  club  topsail,  E,  a  baby 
jib  topsail,  F,  a  No.  2  jib  topsail,  G,  a  No.  i  jib  topsail,  H,  a 
balloon  jib  topsail,  J  (Fig.  133),  and  a  spinnaker,  K  (Fig.  133). 

Jib  and  Mainsail. 

A  small  sloop's  sails  are  a  mainsail,  jib,  and  topsail.  A 
sloop  rig  without  topsail  is  called  a  jib  and  mainsail  (Fig. 

125). 

While  every  small-boat  sailor  should  know  a  catboat 
and  a  sloop  when  he  sees  them,  and  even  be  able  to  give 

the  proper  name  to  their  sails, 
neither  of  these  rigs  is  very  well 
suited  for  canoes,  sharpies,  or 
other  boats  of  the  mosquito 
fleet;  but  the 

Schooner  Rig, 

which  is  the  form  of  boat  gen- 
no.  i2S.-Jib  and  Mainsail.  erall7  USed  f°r  the  larger  jachtS, 

is  also  very  much  used  for  opent 

boats.  As  you  can  see,  by  referring  to  Fig.  126,  the 
schooner  rig  consists  of  a  bowsprit,  fore  and  main  mast, 


Rigs  of  All  Kinds  for  Small  Boats      179 


with  their  appropriate  sails.  Lately  freight  schooners  have 
appeared  with  three  or  more  masts.  For  small  boats  two 
adjustable  masts  and  an  adjusta- 
ble bowsprit,  as  described  in  the 
Rough  and  Ready,  Chapter  XIV., 
are  best.  The  sails  may  be  sprit 
sails,  Fig.  143,  balance  lug,  Fig. 
127;  standing  lug,  Fig.  128;  leg 

Of  mutton,  Fig.  129,  Or  the  Sliding  FlG.  I26._Schooner  Rig  for  Open 
hunter  Fip"  I  ^Q  Boat.  Boom  on  Mainsail,  none 

6  on  Foresail. 

In  the  chapter  on  how  to  build 

the  Rough  and  Ready,  the  sprit  sail  is  depicted  and  fully 
described. 

The   Balance   Lug 

comes  as  near  the  square  sail  of  a  ship  as  any  canvas  used 
on  small  boats,  but  you  can  see,  by  referring  to  the  dia- 
gram, Fig.  127,  that  the  leach  and  the  luff  are  not  parallel 
and  that  the  gaff  hangs  at  an  angle.  To  boom  out  the  can- 


FIG.  127.— The  Balance  Lug.  FIG.  128.— Standing  Lug. 

vas  and  make  it  sit  flat  there  are  three  sticks  extended 
across  the  sail  from  the  front  to  the  back,  luff  to  leach, 
called  battens.  This  has  caused  some  people  to  call  this  a 
batten  lug.  Like  the  lateen  sail,  part  of  the  balance  lug 


i8o 


Summer 


hangs  before  the  mast  and  serves  the  purpose  of  a  jib. 
This  rig  is  said  to  be  easily  managed  and  to  possess  good 
sailing  qualities. 

The  Standing  Lug 

is  another  sail  approaching  the  square  in  pattern,  and,  as 
any  novice  can  see,  is  a  good  canvas  with  which  to  scud  be- 
fore the  wind.  It  is  very  convenient  for  open  boats  built 
to  be  propelled  by  paddles.  While  the  standing  lug  can- 
not  point  up  to  the  eye  of  the  wind  like  a  schooner  or  cat, 
it  is  very  fast  on  the  wind  or  when  running  with  the  wind 
astern.  Probably  the  safest  form  of  sail  used  is  the  old 

reliable 

Leg-of-Mutton  Sail. 

This  is  used  by  the  fishermen  on  their  stanch  little  do- 
ries away  up  on  the  coast  of  Maine,  and  by  the  "  tide- 
water "  people  in  their  "  buckeyes " 
on  Chesapeake  Bay.  The  latter  boat 
is  very  little  known  outside  of  the  lo- 
cality where  it  makes  its  home,  but 
like  the  New  Haven  sharpies,  it  is 
very  popular  in  its  own  waters. 


FIG.  129. — Leg  of  Mutton 
Sail.     Jib  and  Mainsail 


The  Buckeye, 

or  "  bugeye,"  as  it  is  sometimes  vul- 
garly called,  has  a  great  reputation  for 

speed  and  sea  -  going  qualities.  When  it  cannot  climb  a 
wave  it  goes  through  it.  This  makes  a  wet  boat  in  heavy 
weather,  but  when  you  travel  at  a  high  rate  of  speed  you 
can  endure  a  wet  jacket  with  no  complaint,  especially 
when  you  feel  that,  in  spite  of  the  fast-sailing  qualities  of 
this  boat,  it  is  considered  a  particularly  safe  craft. 

The  construction  of  a  buckeye  has  been  evolved  from 


FIG.  131. 


FIG. 


FIG.  135. 


FIGS.  130-137.— F 


FIG.  134. 


FIG.  133. 


FIG.  137. 


MEET  AT  SEA. 


Rigs  of  All  Kinds  for  Small  Boats     181 

the  old   dugout  canoe  of  the  Indians  and  the  first  white 
settlers.     America  was  originally  covered  with  vast  forests 
of  immense  trees.     Remnants  of  these  forests  still  exist  in 
a  few  localities.     It  was  once  possible 
to  make  a  canoe  of  almost  any  dimen- 
sions  desired,  but  now  in  the  thickly 
settled  regions  big  trees  are  scarce. 

So  the  Chesapeake  Bay  boat-build- 
ers, while  still  adhering  to  the  old  dug- 
out, have  overcome  the  disadvantage 
of  small  logs  by  using  more  than  one 
and  bolting  the  pieces  together.  Masts 

..     °  .  FIG.  138. -The  Buckeye. 

and  sails  have  been  added,  and  since 

the  increased  proportions  made  it  impracticable  to  drag 
such  a  craft  on  the  beach  when  in  port,  anchors  and 
cables  are  supplied.  Two  holes  bored,  one  on  each  side 
of  the  stem,  for  the  cables  to  run  through,  have  given  the 
boat  the  appearance  of  having  eyes,  and  as  the  eyes  are 
large  and  round,  the  negroes  called  them  buckeyes, 
and  this  is  now  the  name  by  which  all  such  craft  are 
known. 

At  first  only  two  masts  with  leg-of-mutton  sails  were 
used,  but  now  they  have  a  jib  and  two  sails.  With  the 
greatest  width  or  beam  about  one-third  the  distance  from 
bow  to  stern,  sharp  at  both  ends,  its  long,  narrow,  and 
heavy  hull  is  easily  driven  through  the  water,  and  makes 
both  a  fast  and  stiff  boat. 

The  buckeye  travels  in  shallow  as  well  as  deep  waters, 
and  hence  is  a  centre-board  boat,  but  there  is  nothing 
unnecessary  on  the  real  buckeye — no  overhanging  bow  or 
stern,  for  that  means  additional  labor ;  no  stays  to  the 
masts,  for  the  same  reason.  The  lack  of  stays  to  stiffen  the 
masts  leaves  them  with  "  springiness,"  which  in  case  of  a 


1 82  Summer 


sudden  squall  helps  to  spill  the  wind  and  prevents  what 
might  otherwise  be  a  "  knock-down." 

The  foremast  is  longer  than  the  mainmast  and  does 
not  rake  aft  so  much,  but  the  mainmast  has  a  decided  rake, 
which  the  colored  sailors  say  makes  the  boat  faster  on  the 
wind.  Sometimes  in  the  smaller  boats  the  mainmast  can 
be  set  upright  when  going  before  the  wind. 

Wealthy  gentlemen  on  the  Chesapeake  are  now  build- 
ing regularly  equipped  yachts  on  the  buckeye  plan,  and 
some  of  them  are  quite  large  boats.  A  correspondent  of 
the  Forest  and  Stream,  in  speaking  of  the  buckeye,  says  : 

"  Last  summer  I  cruised  in  company  with  a  buckeye,  forty-two  feet  long, 
manned  by  two  gentlemen  of  Baltimore  city.  She  drew  twenty  inches 
without  the  board.  In  sudden  and  heavy  flaws  she  was  rarely  luffed.  She 
would  lie  over  and  appear  to  spill  the  wind  out  of  her  tall,  sharp  sails,  and 
then  right  again.  Her  crew  took  pleasure  in  tackling  every  sailing  craft  for  a 
race  ;  nothing  under  seventy  feet  in  length  ever  beat  her.  She  steered  under 
any  two  of  her  three  sails.  On  one  occasion  this  craft,  on  her  way  from 
Cape  May  to  Cape  Charles,  was  driven  out  to  sea  before  a  heavy  northwest 
blow.  Her  crew,  the  aforesaid  gentlemen,  worn  out  by  fatigue,  hove  her  to 
and  went  to  sleep.  She  broke  her  tiller  lashing  during  the  night,  and  when 
they  awoke  she  was  pegging  away  on  a  southeast  course  under  her  jib. 
They  put  her  about,  and  in  twenty  hours  were  inside  Cape  Henry,  pretty 
well  tired  out.  Buckeyes  frequently  run  from  Norfolk  to  New  York  with 
fruit.  For  shallow  waters,  I  am  satisfied  there  is  no  better  craft  afloat. 
Built  deep,  with  a  loaded  keel,  they  would  rival  the  English  cutter  in 
seaworthiness  and  speed." 

When  the  hardy,  bold  fishermen  of  our  Eastern  States 
and  the  brave  fishermen  down  South  both  use  the  leg-of- 
mutton  sail,  beginners  cannot  object  to  using  it  while  prac- 
tising; knowing  that  even  if  it  is  a  safe  sail,  it  cannot  be 
called  a  "  baby  rig."  Another  safe  rig,  differing  little  from 
the  leg-of-mutton,  is  the 


Rigs  of  All  Kinds  for  Small  Boats     183 


Sliding  Gunter. 

In  this  rig  the  sail  is  laced  to  a  yard  which  slides  up  or 
down  the  mast  by  means  of  two  iron  hooks  or  travellers 
(Fig.  139).  No  sail  with  a  nar- 
row-pointed top  is  very  service- 
able before  the  wind,  and  the 
sliding  gunter  is  no  exception  to 
the  rule.  But  it  is  useful  on  the 
wind,  and  can  be  reefed  easily 
and  quickly,  qualities  which  make 
it  many  friends. 

In  the  smooth,  shallow  waters  along  the  coast  of  North 
Carolina  may  be  seen  the  long,  flat-bottomed 

Sharpies. 

Without  question  they  are  to  be  ranked  among  the  fastest 
boats  we  have.  These  boats  are  rigged  with  a  modification 
of  the  leg-of-mutton  sail.  The  ends  of  the  sprit  in  the  foresail 


FIG.  139.— The  Sliding  Gunter. 


FIG.  140.— Sharpie  with  Sprit  and  FIG.  141.  FiG.  142. 

Club  Leg-of-Mutton  Sails.  Showing  Detail  of  Sprit  Club  Sail 

project  at  the  luff  and  leach.  At  the  luff  it  is  fastened  to  the 
mast  by  a  line  like  a  snotter  at  the  leach.  It  is  fastened  to  a 
stick  sewed  into  the  sail,  called  a  club.  The  sheet  is  attached 
to  the  end  of  the  sprit  (Figs.  140,  141,  142,  144,  and  145). 


1 84 


Summer 


The  Sprit  Leg-of-Mutton  Sail 
has  this  advantage,  that  the  clew  of  the  sail  is  much  higher 


FIG.  143.— Plain  Sprit 
Leg-of-Mutton. 


FIG.  144.  FIG.  145. 

Another  Form  of  the  Sprit  Sail. 


than  the  tack,  thus  avoiding  the  danger  of  dipping  the  clew 
in  the  water  and  tripping  the  boat. 

The   Dandy  Jigger, 
or  Mizzen  Rig, 

is  named  after  the 
small  sail  aft,  near  the 
rudder -head.  This 
jigger,  mizzen,  or 
dandy  may  have  a 
boom,  a  sprit,  or  be 
rigged  as  a  lug.  (See 
Figs.  146,  147,  149, 
150,  151,  152,154,156, 
and  160,  which  show 
the  principal  mizzen 
rigs  in  use.) 

In  puffy  wind  and 
lumpy  water  the  main 
and  mizzen  rig  will 

FIG.  147.— Lug  Rig  with  Jigger  and  Jib.  be  found  to  WOrk  well. 


FIG.  146.— Lug  Rig  with  Jigger. 


Rigs  of  All  Kinds  for  Small  Boats     185 


The  little  sail  aft  should  be  trimmed  as  flat  as  possible.     It 
will  be  found  of  great  help  in  beating  to  the  windward,  and 


FIG.  148.— Jib.     FIG.   149.— Sprit  Sail,  Schooner  Rig,    FIG.  150.— Sprit  Sail  Jib  and 
with  Dandy.  Dandy. 

will  keep  the  nose  of  the  boat  facing  the  wind  when  the 
mainsail  is  down.  Different  rigs  are  popular  in  different 
localities.  For  instance : 

The  Lateen  Rig 

is  very  popular  in  some  parts  of  the  Old  World,  yet  it  has 
only  few  friends  here.  It  may  be  because  of  my  art  training 
that  I  feel  so  kindly  toward  this  style  of  sail,  or  it  may  be 
from  the  association  in  my  mind  of  some  of  the  happiest 
days  of  my  life  with  a  little  black  canoe  rigged  with  lateen 
sails.  At  any  rate,  in  spite  of  the  undeniable  fact  that  the 
lateen  is  unpopular,  I  never  see 
a  small  boat  rigged  in  this  style 
without  a  feeling  of  pleasure.  The 
handy  little  stumps  of  masts,  end 
in  a  spike  at  the  top,  and  are 
adorned  by  the  beautiful  sails 
lashed  to  slender  spars,  which,  by 
means  of  metal  rings,  are  lightly,  Fia  I5I'-T^dayeen  Rigwith 
but  securely,  fastened  to  the  mast 

by  simply  hooking  the  ring  over  the  spike.  I  freely  ac- 
knowledge that  when  the  sails  are  lowered  and  you  want 
to  use  your  paddle  the  lateen  sails  are  in  your  way.  It 


1 86  Summer 


is  claimed  that  they  are  awkward  to  reef,  and  this  may  be 
true.  I  never  tried  it.  When  the  wind  was  too  strong 
for  my  sails  I  made  port  or  took  in  either  the  large  or  the 
small  sail,  as  the  occasion  seemed  to  demand. 

The  Ship. 

When  you  are  out  sailing  and  see  a  vessel  with  three 
masts,  all  square  rigged,  you  are  looking  at  a  ship  proper, 
though  ship  is  a  word  often  used  loosely  for  any  sort  of  a 
boat  (Fig.  135). 

The  bark  is  a  vessel  with  square-rigged  foremast  and 
mainmast  and  a  fore-and-aft  rigged  mizzen-mast  (Fig.  136). 

The  brig  is  a  vessel  with  only  two  masts,  both  of  which 
are  square  rigged  (Fig.  134). 

The  brigantine  has  two  masts — foremast  square  rigged 
and  mainmast  fore-and-aft  rigged  (Fig.  131). 

The  barkentine  has  three  masts — mainmast  and  mizzen- 
mast  fore-and-aft  rigged  and  foremast  square  rigged.  (See 
Fig.  130.) 


CHAPTER  XV 
A  "ROUGH  AND  READY"  BOAT 

Just  What  an  Ingenious  Boy  Must  Do  to  Build  It — Detailed  Instructions 
as  to  How  to  Make  the  Boat  and  How  to  Rig  It. 

GOOD  straight-grained  pine  wood  is,  without  doubt,  the 
best  ''all-around"  wood  for  a  boy's  use.  It  is  easily  whittled 
with  a  pocket-knife;  it  works  smoothly  under  a  plane;  can 
be  sawed  without  fatiguing  the  young  carpenter ;  it  is  elas- 
tic, pliable,  and  cheap ;  therefore  use  pine  lumber  to  build 
your  boat. 

Examine  the  lumber  pile  carefully  and  select  four  boards 
nearly  alike.  Do  not  allow  the  dealer  or  his  men  to  talk 
you  into  taking  lumber  with  blemishes.  The  side-pieces 
should  be  of  straight-grained  wood,  with  no  large  knots 
and  no  "  checks  "  (cracks)  in  them,  and  must  not  be  "  wind 
shaken." 

Measure  the  wood  and  see  that  it  is  over  twenty-two 
feet  long  by  one  foot  four  or  five  inches  wide  and  one  inch 
thick.  Trim  two  of  the  side-pieces  until  they  are  exact 
duplicates  (Fig.  i6oa).  The  stem -piece  (or  bow- piece) 
should  be  made  from  a  triangular  piece  of  oak  (Fig.  166), 
and  it  is  wise  to  make  it  a  few  inches  longer  than  will  be 
necessary,  so  that  there  may  be  no  danger  of  finding,  after 
all  your  labor,  that  the  stick  is  too  short;  much  better 
too  long,  for  it  is  a  simple  matter  to  saw  it  off.  Make  a 
second  stem-piece  (Fig.  167)  of  oak  about  one  inch  thick 


1 88 


Summer 


and  the  same  length  as  the  first,  and  two  or  three  inches 
wide,  or  twice  as  wide  as  the  thickness  of  the  side  boards. 

The  Stern-Piece. 

The  stern-piece  can  be  fashioned  out  of  two-inch  pine 
boards,  and  may  be  made  as  wide  or  narrow  as  you  choose. 


FIG.  i6oa. 


FIG.  161. 


FIG.  162. 


\ 

*  A*  —  »*j 

$ 
i 
t 

i 
» 

|r    ~  ^J&* 

FIG.  163.  FIG.  164. 

Diagrams  Showing  the  Construction  of  the  Rough  and  Ready. 

A  narrow  stern  makes  a  trim-looking  craft.  With  your  saw 
cut  off  the  corner  of  the  tail-piece,  so  that  it  will  be  in  the 
form  of  a  blunted  triangle  (Fig.  168),  measuring  three  feet 
ten  and  one-half  inches  across  the  base,  three  feet  four 
inches  on  each  side,  and  nine  and  one-half  inches  at  the  apex. 
The  base  of  the  triangle  will  be  the  top  and  the  apex  will 
be  the  bottom  of  the  stern-board  of  your  boat. 

Now  make  a  brace  on  which  to  model  your  boat.     Let 
it  be  of  two-inch  pine  wood,  two  and  one-half  feet  wide  and 


A  "  Rough  and  Ready"  Boat         189 

seven  and  one-half  feet  long  (Fig.  161).  Measure  twelve 
inches  on  one  edge  of  this  board  from  each  end  toward 
the  centre  and  mark  the  points ;  then  rule  lines  from  these 
points  diagonally  across  the  width  of  the  board  (A,  B  and 
C,  D — Fig.  161),  and  saw  off  the  corners,  as  shown  by  the 
dotted  line  in  Fig.  161. 

Lay  the  boards  selected  for  the  lower  side  boards  on  a 
level  floor  and  measure  off  one  and  one-half  foot  on  the  bot- 
tom edge,  then  in  a  line  with  the  end  of  the  board  mark  a 
point  on  the  floor  that  would  be  the  top  edge  of  the  board  if 


FIG.  165. 
The  Rough  and  Ready. 


FIGS.  166,  167,  and  168. 


the  board  were  two  and  one-half  feet  wide  ;  rule  a  line  from 
the  point  on  the  floor  to  the  point  marked  on  the  board  and 
saw  off  the  corner  as  marked ;  make  the  other  side-piece 
correspond  exactly  with  the  first  (Fig.  i6oa). 


190  Summer 


Use  Rope  for  Binding. 

Set  the  side-pieces  upon  their  bottom  or  shorter  edges 
and  place  the  brace  between  the  sides.  Now  bind  the 
stern  ends  with  a  rope  and  bring  the  bow-pieces  together 
until  they  touch ;  rope  them  in  this  position,  and  when 
all  is  fast  push  the  brace  up  until  it  rests  at  a  point  nine 
feet  from  the  bow;  fasten  it  here  with  a  couple  of  nails 
driven  in,  but  leaving  their  heads  far  enough  from  the 
wood  to  render  it  easy  to  draw  them  out.  Now  adjust 
the  bow-piece,  and  use  the  greatest  of  care  in  making  the 
sides  exactly  alike,  otherwise  you  will  wonder  how  your 
boat  happened  to  have  such  an  unaccountable  twist  in  it. 
When  the  stem  is  properly  adjusted  fasten  on  the  side 
boards  with  screws.  Do  not  try  to  hammer  the  screws  in 
place,  but  bore  holes  first  and  use  a  screw-driver. 

Take  your  stern-piece  and  measure  the  exact  width  of 
the  stern  end  of  the  bottom  boards  and  mark  it  at  the  bot- 
tom of  the  stern-piece ;  or,  better  still,  since  the  stern-board 
will  set  at  an  angle,  put  it  temporarily  in  place,  bind  it  fast 
with  the  ropes,  and  mark  with  a  pencil  just  where  the  side 
boards  cross  the  ends  of  the  stern-board.  Remove  the  stern- 
board  and  saw  out  a  piece  one  inch  wide,  the  thickness  of 
the  bottom  board,  from  the  place  marked  to  the  bottom  of 
the  stern-board.  Because  the  top  side  board  overlaps  the 
bottom  one  at  the  stern,  there  must  be  either  a  large  crack 
left  there  or  the  stern-board  notched  to  fit  the  side  boards 
(Fig.  1 68).  Replace  the  stern-board  and  nail  side  boards  fast 
to  it ;  now  loosen  the  ropes  which  have  held  your  boat  in 
shape,  and  fit  on  the  upper  side  boards  so  that  at  the  stern 
they  will  overlap  the  lower  side  boards  an  inch.  Hold  in 
place  with  your  rope,  then  bring  the  bow  end  up  against  the 
stern-piece  over  the  top  of  the  lower  side  board  and  fasten 


A  "  Rough  and  Ready  "  Boat         191 

it  in  place  with  a  rope.  With  your  carpenter's  pencil  mark 
the  overlap,  and  with  a  plane  made  for  that  purpose,  called 
a  rabbet,  trim  down  your  board  so  that  it  will  have  a  shoul- 
der and  an  overlap  to  rest  on  the  bottom  board,  running 
out  to  nothing  at  the  bow.  When  the  boards  fit  all  right 
over  the  lower  ones  bind  them  in  place  and  then  nail  them 
there  (Fig.  162).  If  you  can  obtain  two  good  boards  of 
the  requisite  size,  you  need  have  but  one  board  for  each 
side  of  your  boat ;  this  will  obviate  the  necessity  of  using 
the  rabbet,  and  be  very  much  easier ;  but  with  single  boards 
of  the  required  dimensions  there  is  great  danger  of  split- 
ting or  cracking  while  bending  the  boards. 

Planing  the   Bottom. 

Turn  the  boat  upside  down  and  you  will  see  that  there 
is  a  decided  arch  extending  from  stem  to  stern.  This  would 
cause  the  boat  to  sink  too  deep  amidships,  and  must  be 
remedied  to  some  extent  by  cutting  away  the  middle  of  the 
arch,  so  that  the  sides  in  the  exact  centre  will  measure  at 
least  four  inches  less  in  width  than  at  the  bow  and  stern, 
and  reducing  the  convex  or  curved  form  to  a  straight  line 
in  the  middle,  which  will  give  a  sheer  to  the  bow  and  stern. 
A  good  plane  is  the  best  tool  to  use  for  this  purpose,  as 
with  it  there  is  no  danger  of  cutting  too  deep  or  of  split- 
ting the  side  boards.  Saw  off  the  projecting  ends  of  the 
side  boards  at  the  stern. 

Make  the  bottom  of  three-quarter-inch  boards.  Lay  the 
boards  crosswise,  nail  them  in  place,  leaving  the  irregular 
ends  projecting  on  each  side.  The  reason  for  this  is  obvi- 
ous. When  you  look  at  the  bottom  of  the  boat  you  will 
at  once  see  that  on  account  of  the  form  no  two  boards  can 
be  the  same  shape,  and  the  easiest  way  is  to  treat  the  boat 
bottom  as  if  it  were  a  square-sided  scow.  Fit  the  planks 


192  Summer 


closely  together,  nail  them  on  securely,  and  then  neatly 
saw  off  the  projecting  ends  (Fig.  164). 

The  Deck. 

The  brace  may  now  be  removed  by  carefully  drawing 
the  nails,  so  that  a  bottom  plank  trimmed  to  fit  the  bow 
and  the  stern  can  be  securely  nailed  in  place  (Fig.  169). 
Cut  a  notch  in  your  brace  to  fit  tightly  over  the  bottom 
plank  just  laid.  Plane  off  the  top  of  the  brace  so  that  when 
in  the  boat  the  top  of  the  brace  will  be  four  inches  below 
the  top  of  the  side  boards.  Replace  the  brace  and  securely 
nail  it.  Next  cut  two  small  cross-pieces  (F,  G,  Fig.  163)  and 
place  them  near  the  bow,  four  inches  below  the  top  of  the 
sides  of  the  boat.  Drive  the  nails  from  the  outside  through 
the  side  boards  into  the  end  of  F  and  G,  the  cross-brace. 
Cut  out  a  bow-piece  to  fit  from  the  middle  of  G  to  the  bow 
and  nail  it  in  place,  driving  the  nails  from  the  outside  into 
the  edge  of  the  bow-piece.  Fasten  a  small  cleat  along  the 
boat  from  the  solid  board  brace  to  F  on  each  side  and  deck 
the  space  over  with  light  lumber. 

Of  the  same  material  make  a  trap-door  to  fit  in  between 
the  braces  F  and  G.  This  door  should  be  big  enough  for 
a  boy  to  creep  through,  for  this  compartment  is  intended 
as  a  safe  place  to  store  cooking  utensils,  foods,  etc.,  as  well 
as  a  water-tight  compartment.  At  a  point  five  feet  from 
the  stern  put  another  cross-brace,  similar  to  the  ones  in  the 
bow,  four  inches  below  the  top  of  the  sides.  At  the  same 
level  nail  a  cleat  on  the  stern-piece  and  make  a  stern  seat 
by  boarding  over  between  the  cross-piece  and  the  cleat. 
When  your  boat  is  resting  securely  on  the  floor  or  level 
ground  rig  a  temporary  seat,  then  take  an  oar  and  by  ex- 
periment find  just  where  the  rowlock  will  be  most  conven- 
ient and  mark  the  spot.  Also  mark  the  spot  best  suited  for 


A  "  Rough  and  Ready  "  Boat         193 

the  seat.  On  each  side  of  the  spot  marked  for  the  rowlock 
cut  two  notches  in  the  side-boards  two  inches  deep,  one  and 
a  half  inches  wide,  and  three  inches  apart.  Saw  two  more 
notches  exactly  like  these  upon  the  opposite  side  of  your 
boat.  These  will  make  the  rowlocks  when  the  side  strips 
are  nailed  on  (Fig.  169). 

The  side  strips  should  each  be  made  of  one-inch  plank 
three  inches  wide  and  a  few  inches  longer  than  the  side 
boards.  Nail  the  strips  on  the  outside  of  the  boat  flush 
with  the  top  of  the  side  boards.  Make  your  thole  pins  of 
some  hard  wood,  and  make  two  sets  of  them  while  you  are 


FIG.  169.— Top  View  of  Rough  and  Ready  with  Tiller  Stick. 

about  it,  "  one  set  to  use  and  one  set  to  lose."  Screw  a 
hardwood  cleat  on  the  inside  of  your  boat  over  each  pair  of 
rowlocks,  as  shown  in  Fig.  169. 

Ready  for  the  Water. 

Fasten  the  remaining  bow-piece  securely  over  the  ends 
of  your  side  boards,  and  the  nose  of  your  craft  is  finished. 

Put  a  good,  heavy  keel  on  your  boat  by  screwing  it 
tightly  in  the  stern  to  the  hardwood  rudder-post  that  is 
fastened  to  the  centre  of  the  stern  ;  bolt  your  keel  with  four 
iron  bolts  to  the  bottom  of  the  boat,  and  the  ship  is  ready 
to  launch,  after  which  she  can  be  equipped  with  sails  and 

oars. 

13 


194 


Summer 


Of  course,  you  understand  that 
all  nail-holes  and  crevices  should 
be  puttied  up,  and  if  paint  is  used, 
it  must  be  applied  before  wetting 
the  boat.  But  if  you  have  done 
your  work  well,  there  will  be  little 
need  of  paint  or  putty  to  make  it 
tight  after  the  wood  has  swelled  in 
the  water.  Fasten  your  rudder  on 
with  hooks  and  screw-eyes,  and 
make  it  as  shown  in  the  diagram 
(Fig.  165).  Step  your  mainmast  in 
the  bow  through  a  round  hole  in 
the  deck  and  a  square  hole  in  the 
step,  which  must,  of  course,  be 
screwed  tightly  to  the  bottom  be- 
fore the  bow  is  decked  over. 

Step  your  jigger  or  dandy-mast 
in  the  stern  after  the  same  manner. 
These  masts  should  neither  of  them 
be  very  large,  and  are  intended  to 
be  removed  at  pleasure  by  unstep- 
ping  them,  that  is,  simply  pulling 
them  out  of  their  sockets.  An  out- 
rigger will  be  found  necessary  for 
your  dandy-sail,  and  since  the  deck 
aft  is  below  the  sides  of  the  boat, 
a  block  of  wood  will  have  to  be 
nailed  to  the  deck  to  the  starboard 
or  right-hand  side  of  the  rudder- 
post.  If  the  builder  chooses,  he  can 
make  the  decks  flush  with  the  sides 
of  the  boat,  and  thus  avoid  blocks.  A  couple  of  staples  for 


FIG.  170. 


•Rudder,  with  Tiller 
Lines. 


A  "Rough  and  Ready"  Boat          195 

the  out-rigger  to  slip  through  are  next  in  order.  They  must 
be  fastened  firmly  in  the  block  or  stick  of  wood  just  nailed 
to  the  deck.  A  similar  arrangement  can  be  made  for  the 
bowsprit,  but  as  it  is  a  movable  bowsprit,  and  the  stem  of 
the  boat  is  in  the  way,  put  it  to  the  port  or  left-hand  side  of 
the  stem  of  the  craft  (Fig.  169). 

How  to  Make  the  Sail. 

Secure  for  a  sail  material  as  strong  as  you  can  find,  but 
it  need  not  be  heavy.  Unbleached  muslin  is  cheap  and 
will  make  good  sails.  Turn  over  the  edges  and  sew  or  hem 
them,  as  in  the  diagram.  Make  eyelets  like  buttonholes  in 
the  luff  of  the  sail — that  is,  the  edge  of  the  sail  nearest  the 
mast.  Sew  a  small  loop  of  rope  in  each  corner  of  the  sail. 
Through  the  eyelets  lace  the  luff  of  the  sail  to  the  mast. 

From  spruce  or  pine  make  a  sprit  two  inches  in 
diameter.  For  a  "  sheet" — that  is,  the  rope  or  line  that  you 
manage  the  sail  with — tie  a  good,  stout  line  about  a  dozen 
feet  long  to  the  loop  in  the  loose  corner  of  the  sail.  Trim 
the  upper  end  of  the  sprit  to  fit  the  loop  in  the  top  of  the 
sail  and  make  a  simple  notch  in  the  other  end  to  hold  the 
line  called  the  "  snotter." 

Now,  as  you  can  readily  see  by  referring  to  Fig. 
165,  when  the  sprit  is  pushed  into  the  loop  at  the  top 
of  the  sail  the  sail  is  spread.  To  hold  it  in  place  make  a 
cleat  like  the  one  in  the  diagram,  and  bind  it  firmly  with  a 
cord  to  the  sprit ;  pass  the  snotter  or  line  fastened  to  the 
mast  through  the  notch  in  the  sprit  up  to  the  cleat  and 
make  fast,  and  the  sail  is  set  The  jigger  or  dandy  is 
exactly  like  the  mainsail  except  in  size,  and  the  sheet  rope 
is  run  through  a  block  or  pulley  at  the  end  of  the  out-rigger 
and  then  made  fast  to  a  cleat  near  the  man  at  the  rudder 
or  helm.  The  jib  is  a  simple  affair  hooked  on  a  screw-eye 


196  Summer 


in  the  end  of  the  bowsprit.  The  jib  halyard,  or  line  for 
hoisting  the  jib,  runs  from  the  top  of  the  jib  through  a 
screw-eye  in  the  top  of  the  mast,  down  the  port  side  of  the 
mast  to  a  cleat,  where  it  is  made  fast.  When  the  jib  is  set 
the  jib-sheets  are  fastened  to  a  loop  sewed  in  the  jib  at 
the  lower  or  loose  end.  There  are  two  jib-sheets,  one  for 
each  side  of  the  boat,  so  that  one  may  be  made  fast  and  the 
other  loosened,  according  to  the  wind.  The  remaining 
details  you  must  study  out  from  the  diagrams  or  learn  by 
experiment. 

How  to  Reef  Her. 

When  the  wind  is  high  reef  your  sails  by  letting  go  the 
snotter  and  pulling  out  the  sprit.  This  will  drop  your  peak 
and  leave  you  with  a  simple  leg-of-mutton  sail.  Only  use 
the  jib  in  light  weather. 

In  this  boat,  with  a  little  knowledge  of  sailing,  you  may 
cruise  for  weeks,  lowering  your  sails  at  night  and  making  a 
tent  over  the  cock-pit  for  a  sleeping-room. 

When  the  author  described  the  Rough  and  Ready  for 
the  New  York  Press,  Mr.  Curtis  Brown,  the  genial  editor 
of  the  Sunday  edition  of  that  paper,  was  delighted  with 
it.  He  had  had  letters  from  boy  readers  asking  the  rules  for 
building  just  such  a  boat.  After  the  article  was  published 
Mr.  Brown  received  more  letters  asking  for  descriptions 
and  rules  for  building  a  rowboat.  The  writer  had  already 
told  how  to  build  a  rowboat,  under  the  head  of  a  "  Yankee 
Pine "  in  the  "  American  Boy's  Handy  Book."  If  the 
young  boat-builders  do  not  have  a  "  Handy  Book  "  they  can 
reduce  the  dimensions  of  the  Rough  and  Ready,  leave  off 
the  decks,  and  they  will  have  a  serviceable  rowboat. 


CHAPTER  XVI 
A  RAFT  THAT  WILL  SAIL 

And  a  Homc-Madc  Catamaran—The  Raft  is  Just  the  Thing  for  Camp 
Life— Pleasurable  Occupation  for  a  Camping  Party  Where  Wood 
is  Plentiful— You  Will  Need  Axes  and  Hatchets  and  a  Few  Other 
Civilized  Implements. 

FIRST  we  will  select  two  pine  logs  of  equal  length,  and, 
while  the  water  is  heating  for  our  coffee  we  will  sharpen 
the  butt  or  larger  end  of  the  logs  on  one  side  with  the  axe, 
making  a  "chisel  edge,"  as  shown  in  Fig.  171.  This  gives 
us  an  appetite  for  breakfast  and  makes  the  big  fish  in  the 
lake,  as  they  jump  above  the  water,  cast  anxious  looks 
toward  our  camp. 

Breakfast  finished,  we  will  cut  some  cross-pieces  to  join 
our  two  logs  together,  and  at  equal  distances  apart  we  will 
bore  holes  through  the  cross-pieces  for  peg-holes  (Figs.  172, 
173,  and  174).  While  one  of  the  party  is  fashioning  a  num- 
ber of  pegs,  each  with  a  groove  in  one  side,  like  those 
shown  in  Fig.  175,  the  others  will  roll  the  logs  into  the 
water  and  secure  them  in  a  shallow  spot. 

Shoes  and  stockings  must  be  removed,  for  most  of  the 
work  is  now  to  be  done  in  the  water.  Of  course,  it  would 
be  much  easier  done  on  land,  but  the  raft  will  be  very  heavy 
and  could  never  be  launched  unless  under  the  most  favor- 
able circumstances.  It  is  better  to  build  the  craft  in  the 
element  which  is  to  be  its  home. 

Cut  two  long  saplings  for  braces,  and  after  separating 


198  Summer 


the  logs  the  proper  distance  for  your  cross-pieces  to  fit,  nail 
your  braces  in  position,  as  represented  by  Fig.  171. 

This  holds  the  logs  steady,  and  we  may  now  lay  the  two 
cross-pieces  in  position  and  mark  the  points  on  the  logs 
carefully  where  the  holes  are  to  be  bored  to  correspond 
with  the  ones  in  the  cross-pieces.  Bore  the  holes  in  one 
log  first ;  make  the  holes  deep  enough  and  then  fill  them 
with  water,  after  which  drive  the  pegs  through  the  ends  of 
the  cross-pieces  and  into  the  log.  The  grooves  in  the  pegs 
(Fig.  175)  will  allow  the  water  to  escape  from  the  holes  and 
the  water  will  cause  the  peg  to  swell  and  tighten  its  hold 
on  the  log  and  cross-pieces. 

Now  bore  holes  in  the  other  log  under  those  in  the 
cross-pieces  and  fill  them  with  water  before  driving  the 
pegs  home,  as  you  did  in  the  first  instance.  Fig.  176  is  a 
Man-Friday  raft. 

The  Deck. 

Before  placing  the  bow  in  position  we  must  go  ashore 
and  make  a  dry  deck.  Selecting  for  the  springs  two  long 
elastic  ash  or  hickory  poles,  trim  the  ends  off  flat  on  one 
side,  as  shown  by  Fig.  177.  This  flat  side  is  the  bottom,  so 
roll  them  over,  with  the  flat  side  toward  the  ground,  and  if 
you  can  find  no  planks  or  barrel  staves  for  a  deck,  split  in 
half  a  number  of  small  logs  and  peg  or  nail  them  on  the 
top  side  of  the  springs,  as  in  Fig.  178. 

Now  all  hands  must  turn  out  and  carry  the  deck  down 
to  the  raft  and  place  it  in  position,  with  the  flattened  sides 
of  the  springs  resting  on  top  of  the  logs  at  the  bow.  Prop 
it  up  in  this  position,  and  then  bore  holes  through  the 
springs  into  the  logs  and  peg  the  springs  down.  Over  the 
flat  ends  place  the  heavy  bow  cross-piece,  bore  the  peg 
holes,  and  fasten  it  in  position  (Fig.  179). 


A  Raft  that  will  Sail 


199 


FIG.  171. 
FIG.  172.          FIG.  173.  FIG.  174. 


FIG.  176. 


FIG.  177. 


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FIG.  175. 


FIG.  179. 


FIG.  178. 


PARTS  OF  MAN-FRIDAY  SAILING  RAFT. 


FIG.  171.— Logs  in  Place  with  Braces.  FIGS.  172,  173,  and  174.— Struts.  FIG.  175. 
—Pegs.  FIG.  176.— Raft  with  Middle  and  Stern  Strut  in  Place.  FIG.  177.— 
Springs  for  Dry  Deck.  FIG.  178. -Dry  Deck.  FIG.  179.— Dry  Deck  in  Place. 


200 


Summer 


.  In  the  centre  of  the  bow  cross-piece  bore  several  holes 
close  together  and  chip  out  the  wood  between  to  make  a 


FIG.  180.  —  Sail  for  Man-Friday. 

hole,  as  square  a  one  as  possible,  for  the  mast  to  fit  or 
"step"  in.  With  the  wood  from  a  packing  box  or  a  slab 
from  a  log  make  the  bench  for  the  mast. 

Bore  a  hole  through  the  bench  a  trifle  astern  of  the  step 
or  hole  for  the  mast  below.  It  will  cause  the  mast  to 
"rake"  a  little  "  aft."  You  have  done  a  big  day's  work,  but  a 
couple  of  days  ought  to  be  sufficient  time  to  finish  the  craft 


A  Raft  that  will  Sail 


201 


The  Sail. 

Turn  over  the  raw  edges  of  the  old  sailcloth  and  stitch 
them  down,  as  in  Fig.  180 — that  is,  if  you  have  the  needle  and 
thread  for  the  purpose ;  if  not,  trim  the  cloth  to  the  proper 
form  and  two  inches  from  the  luff  (the  side  next  to  the 
mast).  Cut  a  number  of  holes ;  these  should  be  stitched  like 
buttonholes,  if  possible,  but  if  the  sailcloth  is  tough  and  we 


FIG.  181.— Scudding  Before  the  Wind. 

have  no  needle,  we  shall  have  to  let  them  go  unstitched.  A 
small  loop  of  rope  must  be  sewed  or  fastened  in  some 
other  manner  very  securely  to  each  corner  of  the  sail. 


2O2  Summer 


From  spruce  pine  or  an  old  fishing  pole  make  a  sprit, 
and  of  a  good,  straight  piece  of  pine  manufacture  your 
mast  somewhat  longer  than  the  luff  of  the  sail  (Fig.  180). 

Through  the  eyelets  lace  the  luff  of  the  sail  to  the  mast, 
so  that  its  lower  edge  will  clear  the  dry  deck  by  about 
a  foot. 

Through  the  hole  made  for  the  purpose  in  the  bench 
(Fig.  181)  thrust  the  mast  into  the  step  or  socket  that  we 
have  cut  in  the  bow  cross-piece.  Tie  to  the  loop  at  the 
bottom  corner  of  the  sail  a  strong  line  about  twelve  feet 
long  for  a  sheet  with  which  to  control  the  sail. 

Trim  the  upper  end  of  the  sprit  to  fit  in  the  loop  at  the 
upper  outer  corner  of  the  sail,  and  make  a  notch  in  the 
lower  end  to  fit  in  the  loop  of  the  line  called  the  "  snotter." 

Now,  as  you  can  readily  see,  when  the  sprit  is  pushed 
diagonally  upward  the  sail  is  spread ;  to  hold  it  in  place 
make  a  loop  of  line  for  a  "snotter"  and  attach  the  loop 
to  the  mast,  as  in  Figs.  180  and  181.  Fit  the  loop  in  the 
notch  in  the  lower  end  of  the  sprit,  and  the  sail  is  set. 

The  Keelig. 

We  need  anchors,  one  for  the  bow  and  one  for  the  stern. 
It  takes  little  time  to  make  them,  as  you  only  need  a  forked 
stick,  a  stone,  and  a  piece  of  plank,  or,  better  still,  a  barrel 
stave.  Figs.  186,  187,  189,  and  190  show  how  this  is  made. 
Down  East  the  fishermen  use  the  "  keelig,"  in  preference  to 
any  other  anchor. 

Make  fast  your  lines  to  the  "  keelig  "  thus  :  Take  the  end 
of  the  rope  in  your  right  hand  and  the  standing  part  (which 
is  the  part  leading  from  the  boat)  in  your  left  hand  and 
form  the  loop  (A,  Fig.  182). 

Then   with  the   left  hand   curve  the  cable  from  you, 


A  Raft  that  will  Sail 


203 


bringing  the  end  through  the  loop,  as  in  B,  Fig.  183  ;  then 
lead  it  around  and  down,  as  in  C,  Fig.  184. 

Draw  it  tight,  as  in  D,  Fig.  185,  and  you  have  the  good, 
old-fashioned  knot,  called  by  sailors  the  "  bow-line." 

To  make  it  look  neat  and  shipshape  you  may  take  a 

FIG.  182.    FIG.  183.  FIG.  184.       FIG.  185. 


FIG.  186. 


T»e STOWS 

FIG.  187. 


FIG.  189. 


FIG.  190. 


piece  of  string  and  bind  the  standing  part  to  the  shaft  of 
your  anchor  or  keelig — keelek — killick — killeck — kelleck — 
kellock — killock,  etc.,  as  you  may  choose  to  spell  it. 

A  paddle  to  steer  with  and  two  pegs  in  the  stern  cross- 
piece  to  rest  it  in  complete  the  craft ;  and  now  the  big  bass 
had  better  use  due  caution,  because  our  lines  will  reach 
their  haunts,  and  we  are  after  them ! 

A  Home-Made  Catamaran. 

Possibly  after  you  have  built  and  sailed  on  the  rude 
catamaran  described  above  you  have  grown  ambitious 
and  wish  to  try  a  real  catamaran.  In  this  case  it  is,  of 


2O4  Summer 


course,  necessary  that  you  should  be  in  some  locality 
where  you  can  have  access  to  ordinary  building  materials 
and  tools. 

In  place  of  the  two  unwieldy  logs  substitute  two  narrow 
boats.  If  such  boats  can  be  found  already  built,  so  much 
the  better.  Two  old-fashioned  dugout  canoes  make  most 
excellent  hulls  for  a  catamaran,  but  unfortunately  dugout 
canoes  are  now  few  and  far  between.  In  these  modern 
days  we  must  look  for  something  more  up-to-date,  and 
probably  the  shortest  way  out  of  the  difficulty  is  to  build 
two  long,  narrow  boats.  This  is  not  a  difficult  piece  of 
work.  Any  boy  who  has  successfully  built  either  of  the 
preceding  craft,  or  is  sufficiently  skilful  to  build  even  a 
rude  skiff,  will  be  able  to  put  together  two  long  water-tight 
boxes,  and  it  does  not  require  much  additional  skill  to 
make  boxes  pointed  at  each  end. 

Make  each  side  of  the  boat  of  one  straight-grained 
white  pine  board,  twelve  or  fourteen  feet  long,  and  put  the 
boat  together  after  the  fashion  shown  in  Figs.  i6oa,  161,  162, 
163,  and  164  (Rough  and  Ready),  with  this  difference : 
You  must  make  the  bow  and  stern  just  alike,  and  leave 
the  four  stretchers  or  moulds  in  their  places,  to  add 
strength  to  the  hulls.  This,  of  course,  divides  the  hulls 
into  five  compartments,  each  of  which  is  liable  to  hold 
water.  To  prevent  this  saw  a  triangular  notch  in  the 
bottom  of  each  mould  to  allow  the  water  that  may  leak 
in  free  passage  from  bow  to  stern  ;  then  it  may  be  all 
bailed  out  from  one  trap  or  hatch.  Particular  attention 
must  be  paid  to  making  the  two  side  boats  exact  duplicates 
of  each  other.  If  white  lead  is  applied  to  all  seams  and 
joints  before  they  are  fastened  together,  it  will  make  them 
very  nearly  water-tight,  but  a  new  boat  will  leak  until  the 
water  has  caused  the  wood  to  swell. 


A  Raft  that  will  Sail 


205 


A  Trap-Door  or  Hatch, 

large  enough  to  admit  one's  hand  and  bailer,  should  oc- 
cupy an  accessible  position  near  the  stern  of  each  boat. 
The  trap  should  be  built 
to  fasten  as  tightly  as 
possible  to  prevent  any 
water  that  may  splash 
over  the  boats  from 
leaking  in  through  the 
openings  in  the  deck. 
Make  each  deck  of  a 
single  board,  trimmed 
to  conform  with  the  lines 
of  the  boat,  and  make 
holes  in  the  deck  for 
the  bands  to  pass 
through.  With  bolts 
and  bands,  that  have 
oeen  made  for  you  at  the 
nearest  blacksmith  shop, 
you  fasten  the  cross- 
piece  supporting  the 
deck  to  the  moulds  in 
the  boat.  Fig.  193,  A, 
shows  one  of  the  bolts. 
It  is  understood  that 
these  bolts  are  securely 
fastened  to  the  moulds 
before  the  hulls  are 
decked.  The  holes  are 
then  bored  in  the  deck,  and  the  screw  ends  of  the  bolts 
come  up  through  the  deck  and  through  the  holes  made  for 


FIGS.  191, 193, 193.— A 
f  Home-made      Catama- 
ran. 


206  Summer 


that  purpose  in  the  cross-pieces  supporting  the  deck.  A 
piece  of  india-rubber  from  an  old  hose  can  be  used  for 
washers  to  fit  under  the  bolts.  The  nuts  are  then  screwed 
home. 

The  deck  is  now  floored,  as   shown   in   Fig.   191,  and 

The  Rudder  and  Mast 

benches  are  put  in  place,  the  latter  at  the  forward  and  the 
former  at  the  after  end  of  the  deck.  Underneath  the  deck 
a  keel-piece  is  securely  bolted  on.  If  you  wish  a  sloop  rig, 
a  bowsprit  is  fastened  to  the  keel-piece,  but  in  regard  to 
sails,  you  may  make  your  own  choice  of  the  many  styles. 
A  good  lateen  will  look  best  and  is  easily  made,  as  de- 
scribed in  the  chapter  on  rigs.  If  one  sail  does  not  work 
to  suit  you,  a  dandy  or  a  jigger  may  be  added. 

This  style  of  craft  may  be  built  as  large  or  small  as  you 
choose  to  build  it.  In  a  very  small  catamaran  that  would 
only  hold  one  boy  he  could  probably  steer  it  with  a  paddle 
or  an  oar,  but  in  the  larger  ones  a  somewhat  more  compli- 
cated steering  apparatus  is  necessary. 

Steering  Apparatus. 

Evidently  it  would  be  a  most  difficult  undertaking  to 
steer  the  catamaran  with  independent  rudders,  and  we 
must  devise  a  method  by  which  one  tiller  will  control  both. 
Fig.  201  shows  how  it  may  be  done  with  a  system  of 
pulleys  or  blocks  and  tiller-lines,  or  you  may  make  a 
short  oaken  stick  of  the  form  shown  in  Fig.  194,  A.  Bore 
a  hole  through  the  centre,  as  is  shown  in  Fig.  195,  B. 
Trim  off  the  top  to  fit  the  tiller-handle  (Fig.  196,  C).  Saw 
into  all  the  four  corners  of  the  square  stick  to  form  a 
shoulder  to  rest  on  the  bench.  Fig.  197  shows  the  shoulder 
at  S.  Plane  off  the  square  corners  of  the  wood  below  the 


A  Raft  that  will  Sail 


207 


saw  cut.     After  this  it  is  quite  a  simple  matter  to  round  it 
off  below  the  shoulder  (Fig.  197,  E). 

After  slipping  the  rudder-post  through  the  two  holes 


FIGS.    194,   195. —Stick   for       FIG.  196.        FIG.  197.  FIG.  198. 

Rudder-post  of  Catamaran.  Rudder-post  of  Catamaran. 

bored  for  the  purpose  in  the  rudder  bench,  drive  through 
the  post  a  good,  strong  oaken  or  hickory  peg  (Fig.  198,  F), 


V 

FIG.  199.— Rudder  Bench  of  Catamaran. 


208 


Summer 


and  bind  the  cross-pieces  tightly  with  tarred  twine.     The 
end  of  the  cross-sticks  should  be  firmly  lashed  with  tarred 


FIG.  200.— Half  Hull  of  Catamaran. 


or  painted  twine.  A  large  screw-eye  may  be  now  put  in  each 
end  of  the  cross-stick  or  near  the  ends,  allowing  the  screw- 
ends  of  the  eye  to  protrude  far  enough  to  screw  on  a  nut. 


ANOTHER  STEtfUNG^ 


FIG.  201.— Tackle  for  Steering  a  Catamaran. 

Now  we   must   have  two  long,  strong  hoop  poles  to 
connect  with  the  rudders  by  means  of  bolts  and  rings,  as 


A  Raft  that  will  Sail 


209 


FIG.  903. 


FIG.  ao2.— The  Half  Hull  with  Double  Block  Steering  Gear. 
FIG.  203.— The  Side  View  of  Helm. 
id 


2IO 


Summer 


shown  in  Fig.  191.  All  that  is  now  necessary  is  to  fit  your 
tiller-handle  over  the  top  of  the  rudder-post,  and  the  steer- 
ing apparatus  is  finished.  Fig.  201  shows  another  plan  for 

steering  with  a  helm 
like  Figs.  202  and  203. 
The  mast  is 
stepped  in  a  bench 
at  the  bow  similar 
to  the  rudder  bench. 
Each  consists  of 
board  benches  bolt- 
ed to  heavy  plank 
supports  and  bolt- 
ed to  the  deck.  The 
material  used  should 
be  as  light  as  possi- 
ble, consistent  with 

ofT-^nrrtV.         TV»#»    Aw 
deck    Can     be     made 

of  neatly   planed 

boards,  and  the  whole  craft  may  be  as  neat  and  well  done  as 
the  skill  of  the  maker  will  admit.  Hulls  with  a  swell  on 
each  side  jam  the  water  between  them  and  retard  the 
boat;  so  if  you  build  the  catamaran  with  half  hulls  you 
will  do  away  with  this  objection.  Fig.  200  shows  diagram 
of  hull ;  Fig.  202,  plan  of  craft ;  Fig.  203,  the  helm. 


FIG.  204.— Detail  of  Rudder,  Showing  Braces  and 
Rings,  AA'  BB',  for  the  Rudder -pin,  C,  to  fit 
in.  D  is  the  Ring  for  Attaching  Steering  Gear. 


A  Tom  Thumb  Catamaran 
could  be  built  just  large  enough  to  hold  one  boy. 


The 


dry  deck  may  be  made  with  bamboo  poles,  in  the  form 
of  a  seat  for  the  sailor,  and  if  a  foot-rest  is  added  below, 
he  may  sit  perched  in  his  dry  seat  like  a  horse-jockey 
in  a  sulky,  where  he  can  manage  his  little  craft  in 


A  Raft  that  will  Sail 


211 


weather  that  no  other  small  boats  could  stand.  Some 
people  say  that  under  a  heavy  sail  and  a  hard  blow  this 
style  of  boat  will  rear  up  at  the  stern  and  go  end  over 
end.  If  this  is  true,  it  is  because  the  craft  is  too  short  and 
dumpy,  or  has  too  large  a  spread  of  canvas.  Even  full- 
rigged  ships  have  been  known  to  run  their  bows  under. 


FIG.  205.— A  Home-made  Catamaran. 

There  was  a  good-sized  catamaran  wrecked  in  Flushing 
Bay  the  same  day  that  the  writer  upset  in  his  canoe,  but 
from  the  looks  of  the  wreck,  with  its  sails  torn  to  ribbons, 
it  seemed  probable  that  the  sails  had  been  carried  away, 
and  the  craft  had  then  drifted  ashore.  The  wreck  showed 
no  signs  of  having  turned  somersaults. 

Two  old    single    shells  would    make   a   beautiful  Tom 


212  Summer 


Thumb  catamaran,  and  they  would  be  far  more  likely  to  sail 
up  in  the  air  than  to  stand  on  end,  but  all  these  gymnastics 
on  the  part  of  the  boat  can  be  avoided  by  not  venturing  out 
during  a  gale  or  by  shortening  sail  when  the  wind  is  strong. 
Never  be  misled  into  thinking  it  seamanlike  to  carry  full 
sail  when  other  boats  are  reefed.  Too  much  sail  retards 
the  boat  as  much  as  too  little.  In  all  yacht  races  the 
skippers  never  hesitate  to  take  in  sail  when  it  is  necessary 
any  more  than  they  do  to  shake  out  a  reef  when  more  sail 
is  thought  to  be  beneficial. 

Danger  of  False  Pride. 

Learn  to  manage  a  small  sail  first  and  then  a  larger  one. 
Do  not  be  ashamed  of  blunders.  Why  should  you  ?  Is  a 
baby  ashamed  to  creep  before  it  learns  to  walk?  On  the 
contrary,  the  baby  is  very  proud  of  its  newly  acquired 
powers  of  locomotion.  Nobody  is  a  born  sailor.  The 
best  seaman  was  once  a  land-lubber. 


CHAPTER  XVII 
SINGLE  SHELLS  AND  UMBRELLA  CANOES 

How  Old  Shells  Can  Be  Turned  into  Boys'  Boats— The  Cause  of  Up- 
sets—Landing from  and  Embarking  in  a  Shell — What  an  Umbrella 
Canoe  Is  and  How  It  Is  Made. 

WHERE  there  are  oarsmen  and  boat  clubs  there  you  will 
find  beautiful  shell  boats  of  paper  or  cedar,  shaped  like 
darning  needles,  so  slight  in  structure  that  a  child  can  knock 
a  hole  in  them,  and  yet  very  seaworthy  boats  for  those  who 
understand  how  to  handle  them.  The  expensive  material 
and  skilled  labor  necessary  to  build  a  racing  shell  puts  the 
price  of  one  so  high  that  few  boys  can  afford  to  buy  one ; 
but  where  new  shells  are  to  be  found  there  are  also  old  ones, 
and  when  they  are  too  old  to  sell  they  are  thrown  away. 
Many  an  old  shell  rots  on  the  meadows  near  the  boat-houses 
or  rests  among  the  rafters  forgotten  and  unused,  which  with 
a  little  work  would  make  a  boat  capable  of  furnishing  no 
end  of  fun  to  a  boy. 

Checks  or  Cracks 

can  be  pasted  over  with  common  manilla  wrapping  paper 
by  first  covering  the  crack  with  a  coat  of  paint,  or,  bet- 
ter still,  of  varnish,  then  fitting  the  paper  smoothly  over 
the  spot  and  varnishing  the  paper.  Give  the  paper  sev- 
eral coats  of  varnish,  allowing  it  to  dry  after  each  appli- 
cation, and  the  paper  will  become  impervious  to  water. 


214  Summer 


The  deck  of  a  shell  is  made  of  thin  muslin  or  paper,  treated 
with  a  liberal  coat  of  varnish,  and  can  be  patched  with  simi- 
lar material.  There  are  always  plenty  of  slightly  damaged 
oars  which  have  been  discarded  by  the  oarsmen.  The  use 
of  a  saw  and  jack-knife  in  the  hands  of  a  smart  boy  can 
transform  these  wrecks  into  serviceable  oars  for  his  patched- 
up  old  shell,  and  if  the  work  is  neatly  done,  the  boy  will  be 
the  proud  owner  of  a  real  shell  boat,  and  the  envy  of  his 
comrades. 

The  Cause  of  Upsets. 

A  single  shell  that  is  very  cranky  with  a  man  in  it  is 
comparatively  steady  when  a  small  boy  occupies  the  seat. 
Put  on  your  bathing  clothes  when  you  wish  to  try  a  shell, 
so  that  you  may  be  ready  for  the  inevitable  upset.  Every 
one  knows,  when  he  looks  at  one  of  these  long,  narrow  boats, 
that  as  long  as  the  oars  are  held  extended  on  the  water  it 
cannot  upset.  But,  in  spite  of  that  knowledge,  every  one, 
when  he  first  gets  into  a  shell,  endeavors  to  balance  himself 
by  lifting  the  oars,  and,  of  course,  goes  over  in  a  jiffy. 

The  Delights  of  a  Shell. 

It  is  an  error  to  suppose  that  the  frail-looking,  needle- 
like  boat  is  only  fit  for  racing  purposes.  For  a  day  on 
the  water,  in  calm  weather,  there  is  perhaps  nothing  more 
enjoyable  than  a  single  shell.  The  exertion  required  to 
send  it  on  its  way  is  so  slight,  and  the  speed  so  great,  that 
many  miles  can  be  covered  with  small  fatigue.  Upon  re- 
ferring to  the  log-book  of  the  Nereus  Club,  where  the  dis- 
tances are  all  taken  from  the  United  States  chart,  the  au- 
thor finds  that  twenty  and  thirty  miles  are  not  uncommon 
records  for  single-shell  rows. 

During  the  fifteen  or  sixteen  seasons  that  the  author  has 
devoted  his  spare  time  to  the  sport  he  has  often  planned  a 


Single  Shells  and  Umbrella  Canoes     215 

heavy  cruising  shell,  but  owing  to  the  expense  of  having 
such  a  boat  built  he  has  used  the  ordinary  racing  boat,  and 
found  it  remarkably  well  adapted  for  such  purposes.  Often 
he  has  been  caught  miles  away  from  home  in  a  blow,  and 
only  once  does  he  remember  of  being  compelled  to  seek 
assistance. 

He  was  on  a  lee  shore  and  the  waves  were  so  high  that 
after  once  being  swamped  he  was  unable  to  launch  his  boat 
again,  for  it  would  fill  before  he  could  embark.  So  a 
heavy  rowboat  and  a  coachman  were  borrowed  from  a 
gentleman  living  on  the  bay,  and  while  the  author  rowed, 
the  coachman  towed  the  little  craft  back  to  the  creek 
where  the  Nereus  Club-house  is  situated. 

In  the  creek,  however,  the  water  was  calmer,  and  rather 
than  stand  the  jeers  of  his  comrades,  the  writer  embarked 
in  his  shell  and  rowed  up  to  the  boat-house  float.  He  was 
very  wet  and  his  boat  was  full  of  water,  but  to  the  inquiry  of 
"  Rough  out  in  the  bay?"  he  confined  himself  to  the  simple 
answer — "  Yes."  Then  dumping  the  water  from  his  shell 
and  placing  it  upon  the  rack,  he  put  on  his  dry  clothes  and 
walked  home,  none  the  worse  for  the  accident. 

After  ordinary  skill  and  confidence  are  acquired  it  is 
really  astonishing  what  feats  can  be  accomplished  in  a  frail 
racing  boat. 

It  is  not  difficult  to 

Stand  Upright  in  a  Shell, 

if  you  first  take  one  of  your  long  stockings  and  tie  the 
handles  of  your  oars  together  where  they  cross  each  other 
in  front  of  you.  The  ends  will  work  slightly  and  the 
blades  will  keep  their  positions  on  the  water,  acting  as  two 
long  balances.  Now  slide  your  seat  as  far  forward  as  it  will 
go,  slip  your  feet  from  the  straps  and  grasp  the  straps 


216  Summer 


with  your  hand,  moving  the  feet  back  to  a  comfortable 
position.  When  all  ready  raise  yourself  by  pulling  on  the 
foot-strap,  and  with  ordinary  care  you  can  stand  upright 
in  the  needle-shaped  boat,  an  apparently  impossible  thing 
to  do  when  you  look  at  the  narrow  craft. 

How  to  Land  Where  there  is  no  Float. 

When  for  any  reason  you  wish  to  land  where  there  is  no 
float,  row  into  shallow  water  and  put  one  foot  overboard 
until  it  touches  bottom.  Then  follow  with  the  other  foot, 
rise  and  you  are  standing  astride  of  your  boat. 

How  to  Embark  Where  there  is  no  Float. 

Wade  out  and  slide  the  shell  between  your  extended 
legs  until  the  seat  is  underneath  you.  Sit  down,  and,  with 
the  feet  still  in  the  water,  grasp  your  oars.  With  these  in 
your  hands  it  is  an  easy  task  to  balance  the  boat  until  you 
can  lift  your  feet  into  it. 

Ozias  Dodge's  Umbrella  Canoe. 

Mr.  Dodge  is  a  Yale  man,  an  artist,  and  an  enthusiastic 
.canoeist.  The  prow  of  his  little  craft  has  ploughed  its  way 
through  the  waters  of  many  picturesque  streams  in  this 
country  and  Europe,  by  the  river-side,  under  the  walls  of 
ruined  castles,  where  the  iron-clad  warriors  once  built 
their  camp-fires,  and  near  pretty  villages,  where  people 
dress  as  if  they  were  at  a  fancy-dress  ball. 

When  a  young  man  like  Mr.  Dodge  says  that  he  has 
built  a  folding  canoe  that  is  not  hard  to  construct,  is 
inexpensive  and  practical,  there  can  be  little  doubt  that 
such  a  boat  is  not  only  what  is  claimed  for  it  by  its 
inventor,  but  that  it  is  a  novelty  in  its  line,  and  such  is 
undoubtedly  the  case  with  the  umbrella  canoe. 


Single  Shells  and  Umbrella  Canoes     217 

How  the  Canoe  was  Built. 

The  artist  first  secured  a  white-ash  plank  (A,  Fig.  206), 
free  from  knots  and  blemishes  of  all  kinds.  The  plank  was 
one  inch  thick  and  about  twelve  feet  long.  At  the  mill  he 
had  this  sawed  into  eight  strips,  one  inch  wide,  one  inch 
thick,  and  twelve  feet  long  (B  and  C,  Figs.  207  and  208). 
Then  he  planed  off  the  square  edges  of  each  stick  until 
they  were  all  octagonal  in  form,  and  looked  like  so  many 
great  lead-pencils  (D,  Fig.  209). 

Mr.  Dodge  claims  that,  after  you  have  reduced  the  ash 
poles  to  this  octagonal  form,  it  is  an  easy  matter  to  whittle 
them  with  your  pocket-knife  or  a  draw-knife,  and  by  taking 
off  all  the  angles  of  the  sticks  make  them  cylindrical  in  form 
(E,  Fig.  210) ;  then  smooth  them  off  nicely  with  sand-paper, 
so  that  each  pole  has  a  smooth  surface  and  is  three-quarters 
of  an  inch  in  diameter. 

After  the  poles  were  reduced  to  this  state  he  whittled 
all  the  ends  to  the  form  of  a  truncated  cone — that  is,  like  a 
sharpened  lead-pencil  with  the  lead  broken  off  (F,  Fig.  211) 
—a  blunt  point.  He  next  went  to  a  tinsmith  and  had  two 
sheet-iron  cups  made,  large  enough  to  cover  the  eight  pole- 
ends  (G  and  G',  Figs.  212  and  213).  Each  cup  was  six 
inches  deep.  After  trying  the  cups  or  thimbles  on  the 
poles  to  see  that  they  would  fit,  he  made  two  moulds  of 
oak.  First  he  cut  two  pieces  of  oak  plank  two  feet  six 
inches  long  by  one  foot  six  inches  (H,  Fig.  214),  which 
he  trimmed  into  the  form  shown  by  J,  Fig.  215,  making  a 
notch  to  fit  each  of  the  round  ribs,  and  to  spread  them  as 
the  ribs  of  an  umbrella  are  spread.  He  made  two  other 
similar  moulds  for  the  bow  and  stern,  each  of  which,  of 
course,  is  smaller  than  the  middle  one.  After  spreading 
the  ribs  with  the  moulds,  and  bringing  the  ends  together  in 


218 


Summer 


9  £  £  JO  £»  £ 

C  S  S  S  5  3 

II  II  II  II  II  R 

<  03  U  Q  W  fe 


Single  Shells  and  Umbrella  Canoes     219 

the  tin  cups,  he  made  holes  in  the  bottom  of  the  cups  where 
the  ends  of  the  ribs  came,  and  fastened  the  ribs  to  the  cups 
with  brass  screws,  fitted  with  leather  washers,  and  run 
through  the  holes  in  the  tin  and  screwed  into  the  ends  of 
the  poles  or  ribs. 

A  square  hole  was  then  cut  through  each  mould  (K,  Fig. 
216),  and  the  poles  put  in  place,  gathered  together  at  the 


FIG.  217. — Frame  of  Umbrella  Canoe. 


ends,  and  held  in  place  by  the  tin  thimbles.  The  square 
holes  in  the  moulds  allow  several  small,  light  floor  planks 
to  form  a  dry  floor  to  the  canoe. 

The  canvas  costs  about  forty-five  cents  a  yard,  and  five 
yards  are  all  you  need.  The  deck  can  be  made  of  drilling, 
which  comes  about  twenty-eight  inches  wide,  and  costs 
about  twenty  cents  a  yard.  Five  yards  of  this  will  be 
plenty.  Fit  your  canvas  over  the  frame,  stretch  it  tightly, 


FIG.  218.— Umbrella  Canoe. 


and  tack  it  securely  to  the  two  top  ribs  only.     Fasten  the 
deck  on  in  the  same  manner. 

When  Mr.  Dodge  had  the  canoe  covered  and  decked, 
with  a  square  hole  amidship  to  sit  in,  he  put  two  good 
coats  of  paint  on  the  canvas,  allowed  it  to  dry,  and  his 


220 


Summer 


boat  was  ready  for  use  (Fig.  218).  He  quaintly  says  that 
"it  looked  like  a  starved  dog,  with  all  its  ribs  showing 
through  the  skin,"  just  as  the  ribs  of  an  umbrella  show  on 
top  through  the  silk  covering.  But  this  does  not  in  any 
way  impede  the  progress  of  the  boat  through  the  water. 

Where  the  moulds  are  the  case  is  different,  for  the  lines 
of  the  moulds  cross  the  line  of  progress  at  right  angles, 
and  must  necessarily  somewhat  retard  the  boat.  But  even 
this  is  not  perceptible.  The  worst  feature  about  the 


FlG.  219.— Canoe  Folded  for  Transportation.     Canoe  in  Water  in  Distance. 

moulds  is  that  the  canvas  is  very  apt  to  be  damaged  there 
by  contact  with  the  shore,  float,  or  whatever  object  it  rubs 
against. 

With  ordinary  care  the  umbrella  canoe 


Will  Last  for  Years, 

and  is  a  good  boat  for  paddling  on  inland  streams  and  small 
bodies  of  water ;  and  when  you  are  through  with  it  for  the 
night  all  that  is  necessary  is  to  remove  the  stretchers 
by  springing  the  poles  from  the  notches  in  the  spreaders, 
roll  up  the  canvas  around  the  poles,  put  it  on  your 


Single  Shells  and  Umbrella  Canoes     221 

shoulder,   and   carry  it    home   or  to  camp,  as  shown  in 
Fig.  219. 

To  put  your  canoe  together  again  put  in  the  moulds,  fit 
the  poles  in  their  places,  and  the  umbrella  is  raised,  or, 
rather,  the  canoe  is,  if  we  can  use  such  an  expression  in 
regard  to  a  boat. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 
HINTS    FOR   COLLECTORS 

How  to  Capture  and  Preserve  Moths  and  Butterflies— A  New  Cabinet. 

WITH  some  marked  exceptions,  among  which  we  are 
apt  to  place  wasps,  hornets,  scorpions,  and  spiders,  insects 
may  be  held  of  slight  account  as  individuals.  Collectively, 
however,  they  certainly  at  times  demand  serious  con- 
sideration. 

We  can  scarcely  regard  with  contemptuous  indifference 
tribes,  for  instance,  like  those  of  the  dreadful  African  ant, 
before  whose  armies  of  tiny,  but  savage,  soldiers  men 
and  beasts  fly  in  terror,  or  the  destructive  termites,  or 
white  ants,  whose  countless  hordes  eat  their  way  into 
everything  made  of  wood,  and  hollow  out  tall  telegraph 
poles  until  nothing  remains  but  the  merest  shell,  too  weak 
to  support  their  weight  of  wires.  Sometimes,  too,  these 
wires  are  rendered  useless  by  cobwebs,  such  as  are  woven 
by  South  American  spiders,  which  form  conducting  lines 
and  steal  the  messages. 

Nothing  seems  to  be  more  preposterous  than  the  idea 
that  any  number  of  insects  can  bring  an  engine  and  a  train  of 
cars  to  a  standstill;  and  yet  every  year  the  newspapers 
testify  that  it  is  not  an  uncommon  occurrence.  Caterpillars 
and,  in  some  cases,  grasshoppers  appear  in  such  quantities 
that  the  rails  are  rendered  slippery  with  their  crushed  bodies 
and  no  progress  is  possible  until  the  tracks  are  cleaned. 
In  August  of  last  year  the  daily  journals  had  many  graphic 


Hints  for  Collectors  223 

descriptions  of  "  hold  -  ups "  of  locomotives  by  the  innu- 
merable multitudes  of  potato -bugs  that  were  endeavor- 
ing to  pre-empt  a  right  of  way  on  the  various  lines  of  the 
Long  Island  Railroad. 

Practical  Value  of  the  Study  of  Insects. 

The  study  of  insects  is  really  a  matter  of  no  small  im- 
portance to  humanity,  and  the  boy  collector  who  imbibes 
a  taste  for  this  most  intensely  interesting  study,  when  he 
breaks  out  of  his  boyhood  state,  to  shake  out  his  strong  men- 
tal  wings  as  a  perfect  man,  may  become  the  wise  naturalist 
who  shall  show  us  how  to  do  away  with  the  danger  of  such 
small  fry  as  potato-bugs  "holding  up "  express  trains  or 
of  robbing  the  hard-working  truck  gardener  of  his  crop  of 
new  potatoes.  He  should  also  be  able  to  tell  the  farmer 
how  to  prevent  the  devastating  effect  of  a  horde  of  grass- 
hoppers, or  the  vegetable  gardener  how  to  protect  his  cab- 
bage from  the  larvae  of  the  white  butterfly,  or  the  ship- 
builder how  to  secure  his  lumber  from  the  ruinous  effect 
of  "  borers,"  and  in  a  hundred  ways  be  of  great  service  to 
his  country  and  to  the  world. 

All  the  great  things  that  are  to  be  done  in  the  next  fifty 
years  will  be  done  by  men  who  at  the  present  time  are 
either  unborn  or  are  now  common,  every-day  boys.  They 
wear  no  badges  to  tell  you  they  are  to  be  great  scientists, 
artists,  authors,  engineers  or  statesmen,  but  they  are  cer- 
tain to  occupy  those  positions.  The  greatest  man  who  ever 
lived  was  a  boy  to  begin  with,  and  the  next  to  fill  his  place 
may  be  now  reading  this  book — may  perhaps  be  you ! 

The  Popular  Classification. 

With  the  exception  of  butterflies,  the  general  public 
class  the  whole  insect  world  under  two  heads — worms  and 


224  Summer 


bugs — and  regard  them  with  unqualified  disgust.  But  this 
is  only  a  sign  of  universal  ignorance. 

Some  insects  are  veritable  living  jewels;  many  possess 
all  the  iridescence  of  an  opal.  There  are  few  of  our  pre- 
cious stones  that  cannot  be  matched  in  beauty  by  some 
despised  creeping  or  buzzing  insect. 

Baby  butterflies  and  moths  are  properly  called  caterpil- 
lars, not  worms.  The  caterpillar's  taste  is  as  varied  as  that 
of  any  other  animal.  Roots,  wood,  buds,  flowers,  wool,  fur, 
flour,  wax,  lard,  and  meat,  are  some  of  the  articles  selected 
as  food  by  different  individuals,  but  the  majority  of  these 
creeping  infants  live  on  the  leaves  of  trees,  shrubs,  and 
other  vegetables. 

If  you  take  a  sausage  and  tie  bits  of  string  around  it  at 
short  intervals,  you  will  have  a  very  good  model  of  a  cater- 
pillar. Supply  a  little  lump  at  one  end  for  a  head,  some 
warts  along  the  back,  add  from  ten  to  sixteen  small  legs, 
and  your  sausage  will  be  sufficiently  lifelike  to  alarm  any 
timid  people  who  see  it. 

The  Life  of  Caterpillars. 

Caterpillars  are  as  varied  in  their  mode  of  life  as  in 
their  choice  of  food.  Some  hide  in  the  earth  and  only 
steal  forth  to  feed ;  others  dwell  in  crowded  silken  tene- 
ment-houses, while  their  relatives  of  different  taste  lead  the 
solitary  life  of  hermits  or  make  themselves  small  tents  of 
silk  or  huts  of  folded  leaves. 

Every  boy  knows  at  which  end  of  its  body  the  spider's 
spinning  apparatus  is  placed,  but  the  caterpillar  carries 
his  thread  at  the  other  end,  the  silk  issuing  from  a  little 
tube  in  the  middle  of  the  lower  lip.  Inside  the  body 
there  are  two  long  bags  of  sticky  stuff.  The  bags  connect 


Hints  for  Collectors  225 

with  the  tube  in  the  lower  lip,  and  as  the  sticky  fluid  is 
forced  out  it  is  hardened  into  silk  by  the  atmosphere. 

When  a  caterpillar  grows  too  large  for  his  skin  he 
crawls  out,  dressed  in  a  bran  new  suit  of  clothes  that  fit  his 
increased  dimensions  comfortably.  About  four  suits  of 
clothes  answer  for  the  young  butterfly,  and  he  is  ready  to 
be  born  again.  The  change  is  all  inside,  and  when  he  is 
good  and  ready  and  feels  all  right,  he  bursts  open  the  skin 
on  his  neck  and  wiggles  out;  but  his  own  brothers  would 
not  know  him. 

He  is  shorter  and  thicker  than  ever  before,  has  lost  all 
of  his  ten  or  sixteen  legs,  and  has  no  eyes,  nose,  mouth,  or 
head.  All  he  can  do  is  to  wriggle  his  funny  ringed  tail. 
This  is  what  is  called  a  chrysalis  or  pupa  state. 

Not  Ready  to  Fly. 

After  hanging  by  the  tip  of  his  tail  under  a  fence-rail,  or 
after  sleeping  in  his  soft  silken  bed  inside  his  waterproof 
cocoon,  or  covered  in  his  bed  of  earth,  as  the  case  may  be, 
for  a  sufficient  time  to  regulate  his  internal  anatomy,  he 
again  cracks  open  the  skin  on  his  back  and  crawls  out  a 
six-legged  winged  insect,  but  his  wings  are  sadly  crum- 
pled from  being  folded  in  the  narrow  quarters  within  the 
chrysalis  skin. 

This,  however,  is  a  small  matter,  and  still  clinging  with 
all  six  feet  to  his  cast-off  shell,  he  trembles  and  shakes  until 
wrinkle  after  wrinkle  and  fold  after  fold  is  shaken  out, 
and  four  beautiful  wings  move  slowly  up  and  down ;  grad- 
ually their  delicate  framework  is  dried  and  hardened,  and 
then  we  see  one  of  the  most  beautiful  of  sights — a  perfect 
butterfly  or  moth. 

The  reason  they  are  called  lepidopters,  or  scaly  wings,  is 
because  all  that  fine  powder  that  rubs  off  so  easily  on  one's 
15 


226 


Summer 


fingers  is  not  powder,  but  minute  scales,  which  may  be  seen 
by  examining  what  adheres  to  the  fingers  with  a  magnifying 
glass. 

As  a  rule,  butterflies  fly  by  day  and  moths  at  evening  or 
night.  Butterflies  have  knobbed  "  smellers,"  "  feelers,"  or 
antennae,  and  moths  have  feathered  antennae.  Most  moths 
are  much  thicker  and  shorter  in  the  body  than  butterflies, 
but  this  is  not  invariably  the  case  (Figs.  220  and  221). 


Important  Differences. 

In   studying  insects    examine   and   note  the  form  and 
proportion  of  the  heads,  the  length  and  form  of  the  feelers 

(antennae),  the  plan  of  the 


FIG. 


FIG. 


size  and  proportion  of  the 
latter,  and  you  will  soon 
see  greater  difference  than 
there  is  between  Irishmen, 
Germans,  Hebrews,  Eng- 
lishmen, negroes,  and  In- 
dians. 

The  preservation  of  cat- 
erpillars for  cabinet  use  is 
very  difficult  on  account  of 
their  soft,  perishable  bodies. 

Some  of  the  more  minute  ones  may  be  prepared  by  heating 
a  bottle  in  the  oven  until  it  is  a  little  glass  oven  itself,  and 
then  inserting  the  small  larvae  in  the  bottle,  where  it  will 
bake  and  dry,  and  may  be  then  pinned  in  the  cabinet  or 
box  the  same  as  a  moth,  butterfly,  or  beetle. 


FIG.  220.— A  Moth  with  Feathered  "  Feel- 
ers." 

FIG.    221.  —  A    Butterfly    with    Knobbed 
"  Feelers  " 


Hints  for  Collectors 


227 


FIG.  aaa.—  A  Day  in  the  Country. 


228  Summer 


Drying  Better  than  Alcohol. 

Alcohol  will  preserve  almost  any  sort  of  specimen.  I 
have  bottles  at  home  filled  with  all  manner  of  creatures- 
bats,  baby  bats,  mice,  fish,  lizards,  and  shrimp-like  animals 
from  salt  water.  For  ten  years  they  have  remained  undis- 
turbed and  practically  unchanged,  but  there  is  an  unpleas- 
ant look  about  alcoholic  specimens  that  is  not  present  in 
cabinet  collections  of  dried  insects. 

For  the  purpose  of  study,  however,  those  specimens 
preserved  in  spirits  have  many  advantages  over  the  dried 

ones.  It  is  claimed  that  lar- 
vae (young  insects,  grubs, 
caterpillars,  etc.),  if  im- 
mersed in  boiling  water 
for  half  a  minute  and  then 
placed  in  bottles  contain- 

half  Water  and    half  al~ 


FIG.  223. — Caterpillars. 

cohol,  will  retain  all  their 

natural  colors  and  form.  Mr.  Packard,  in  his  most  valua- 
ble book  on  this  subject,  advises  the  use  of  whiskey  as  a 
preservative  for  a  few  days  before  placing  the  caterpillars 
in  their  final  resting-place  in  vials  of  alcohol,  the  latter  be- 
ing so  strong  that  all  soft  specimens  will  shrivel  and  shrink 
when  placed  in  it  without  preparation. 

The  careful  and  methodical  German  collector  prepares 
beautiful,  if  frail,  specimens  by  first  squeezing  the  insides 
out  of  the  baby  butterflies,  and  then  with  a  blowpipe  made 
with  the  nozzle  fitted  over  a  fine  straw,  and  worked  by  a 
bladder  filled  with  air,  he  blows  up  the  larvae  skin  by 
squeezing  the  bladder  under  his  arm  or  between  his  knees, 
while  with  his  hands  he  holds  the  little  skin  over  a  small 
lamp,  so  that  it  dries  in  its  distended  form. 


Hints  for  Collectors  229 

The  perfect  insect — that  is,  the  full-grown  winged  but- 
terfly or  moth — may  also  be  preserved  in  alcohol,  after 
the  manner  described  for  the  larvae,  but  the  most  artistic 
and  beautiful  specimens  are  the  dried  ones. 

Common-Sense  Needed. 

The  best  specimens  are  only  procured  by  rearing  the 
young  and  collecting  the  full-grown  butterflies  after  they 
have  freed  themselves  from  their  horny  chrysalis.  The 
space  allowed  for  these  hints  is  too  short  for  a  detailed 
account  of  the  science  of  caterpillar  farming,  but  this 
I  can  say :  By  experiment  you  can  learn  more  than  can  be 
taught  by  *  books. 

If  a  larva  is  found  eating  willow  leaves,  it  does  not 
require  a  ponderous  volume  on  natural  history  to  tell  a 
bright,  intelligent  boy  that  willow  leaves  are  good  food  for 
that  particular  young  insect.  If  the  experimenter  finds  that 
sprinkling  the  food  leaves  in  his  farming  box  with  water 
causes  the  caterpillars  to  swell  up  with  a  sort  of  fungus 
growth,  killing  them,  he  is  bright  enough  to  keep  his 
leaves  dry  the  next  time.  If  his  pets  seem  restless  and 
pained  by  the  sunlight,  his  common-sense  will  tell  him  to 
put  them  in  the  shade  ;  so  I  must  rely  on  his  good  Ameri- 
can common-sense  observation,  judgment,  and  ingenuity  to 
supply  the  information  that  want  of  space  makes  imprac- 
ticable to  insert  here. 

How  to  Make  a  Cabinet. 

Any  broad,  flat  box  will  answer,  but  it  should  be  neatly 
joined,  with  a  cover  that  fits  closely.  Some  collectors  use 

*  Chapter  XXV.,  American  Boys'   Handy  Book,  gives  many  novelties  which, 
of  course,  are  omitted  here. 


230 


Summer 


flat  strips  of  cork,  glued  in  the  bottom,  to  pin  their  speci- 
mens on ;  others  stretch  a  piece  of  drawing-paper  on  a 
frame  that  fits  closely  in  the  box  and  leaves  a  half  or 
quarter  of  a  inch  air-space  underneath,  for  the  purpose  of 
stowing  gum  camphor  or  other  drugs  to  keep  the  moths, 
buffalo  beetles,  and  other  small  pests  from  destroying  the 
dried  insects.  But  the  following  plan  will  be  found  most 
convenient : 

Make   a  false   bottom   of    wood   or  card-board;    fit  it 
securely  in  the  box  on  a  frame  that  holds  the  false  bottom, 


FIG.  212. 


FIG.  213. 


FIGS.  224,  225. — The  American  Boy's  New  Box  for  Insects. 

about  half  an  inch  from  the  real  bottom.  Through  the 
false  bottom  bore  a  series  of  round  holes  of  a  size  to  fit  a 
number  of  small  corks.  In  the  top  of  these  corks  the 
specimens  are  pinned  (Figs.  224  and  225). 

This  cabinet  has  a  great  advantage  over  the  others,  for 
the  collector  can  remove  any  cork,  with  the  specimens 
attached,  for  examination  or  show  with  the  least  possible 
danger  of  injuring  the  frail  object  (Fig.  213).  Lumps  of 
camphor  or  other  moth-preventive  drugs  can  be  freely  in- 
serted under  the  false  bottom  with  no  danger  of  damaging 
the  collection  by  the  heavy  particles  of  the  drug  coming 
in  contact  and  breaking  the  dried  insects. 


Hints  for  Collectors 


231 


At  any  drug  store, 
and  many  candy  stores, 
you  can  for  a  trifling 
sum   buy  wide,  open- 
mouthed  bottles  with  a 
metal  top  that  screws 
on,    in    place    of    the 
clumsy,    old-fashioned 
cork ;  these  make  per- 
fect collecting  bottles. 
Take  a  piece  of  com- 
mon    blotting  -  paper, 
cut     from    it    several 
pieces  in  the  form  of 
circular  disks  just  large 
enough   to   fit  tightly 
in  the  bottom  of   the 
bottle.    Push  one  piece 
down     until    it    rests 
snugly  on  the  bottom 
of    the    bottle.     Satu- 
rate   it    with    chloro- 
form,   ether,    benzine, 
or  creosote  ;  then  fit  a 
dry  piece  of  blotting- 
paper    over    the    wet 
one,  and  another  dry 
piece    in    the    metal 
stopper.      Screw    the 
top    quickly    on,    and 
the  fumes  of  the  drug 
will   fill  the    bottle, 
forming  a  death-deal- 


FIG.  aad. 


FIG.  227. 


FIG.  228. 


FiG.  226.— A  Killing  Bottle. 
FIG.  227.— A  Grub  in  Spirits. 
FiG.  228.— A  Beetle  on  Flat  Cork. 


232  Summer 


ing  atmosphere  to  any  unfortunate  insect  you  may  capture 
and  drop  in  the  fatal  glass  chamber  (Fig.  226). 

Often  the  opportunity  presents  itself  of  capturing  a 
small  moth  or  butterfly  without  touching  its  delicate  wings 
with  your  clumsy  finger,  for  if  the  insect  is  carefully  ap- 
proached, the  top  removed  from  the  bottle  and  the  latter 
inverted  and  placed  over  the  victim,  it  will  cease  to  live 
without  a  struggle  and,  with  its  dainty  wings  unmarred, 

may  be  preserved  in  your  collec- 
tion. 

Before  going   hunting  insects, 
fill  your  pockets  with  all  the  pill 
boxes    and    glass    vials    that   you 
can  conveniently  carry,  and,  armed 
FIG.  229. —insect  on  Drying       with  a  net  made  of  light  gauze  or 

mosquito-netting,  sally  forth.     No 

game  laws  protect  your  game,  no  badly  spelled  and  un- 
grammatical  notices  warn  you  not  to  hunt  insects  on  the 
farms,  because  the  farmers  are  all  glad  to  have  you  make 
war  on  their  little  but  expensive  enemies. 

Useful  Occupation. 

You  will  experience  as  much  joy  in  securing  a  rare 
specimen  as  any  hunter  does  in  his  successful  efforts  to 
help  exterminate  the  beautiful,  harmless,  and  useful  birds, 
and  you  are  conscious  of  the  fact  that  while  enjoying  your- 
self and  adding  to  your  stock  of  health  and  useful  knowl- 
edge, you  are  also  in  a  small  way  making  war  on  the 
enemies  of  the  trees  and  flowers. 

While  it  is  true  that  many  insects  are  of  absolute  benefit 
to  mankind,  it  is  also  true  that  the  moths  and  butterflies 


Hints  for  Collectors  233 

and  many  other  insects,  though  they  be  dreams  of  love- 
liness in  form  and  color  and  add  beauty  and  interest  to  the 
flowers  and  fields,  make  us  pay  for  their  beauty  by  the 
destruction  of  crops  which  each  year  amounts  to  thousands 
and  thousands  of  dollars. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

HONEY-BEE  MESSENGERS 

How  to  Send  a  Cipher   Message  by  the  Bee    Line— The  Key— Bee 
Stings  and  How  to  Avoid  Them. 

MONSIEUR  TAYNAC,  the  celebrated  French  bee  expert 
at  Versailles,  has  a  hive  of  several  thousand  bees  trained 
like  carrier  pigeons,  which  he  offers  for  the  French  mili- 
tary service. 

This  is  an  idea  for  boys  to  follow — not  to  be  used  in 
any  such  old-fashioned,  barbarous  practice  as  the  wholesale 
murder  called  war,  but  in  healthy,  modern,  up-to-date, 
intelligent  play.  If  one  of  my  readers  or  one  of  his  friends, 
anywhere  within  ten  or  fifteen  miles  of  his  home,  owns  a 
hive  of  bees,  the  two  can  use  the  little  insect  to  carry  mes- 
sages between  their  respective  homes. 

With  your  butterfly  net  catch  some  honey-bees,  or, 
better  still,  trap  them  with  a  box  set  in  front  of  the  door- 
way of  the  hive.  Make  a  hole  in  the  box  like  the  hive  door, 
and  the  insects  will  enter  the  box  under  the  impression  that 
by  that  means  they  can  reach  their  home.  The  boy  who 
lives  at  a  distance  takes 

The  Box  of  Bees 

home  with  him,  and  liberates  them  in  a  closed  room,  where 
he  has  placed  a  saucer  of  honey  or  syrup.     After  the  bees 


Honey-Bee  Messengers 


235 


have  fed  on  the  syrup  he  opens  the  windows  and  they,  of 
course,  will  go  directly  home.  Bees  have  been  known  to 
travel  fifteen  or  twenty  miles,  but  these  are  long  distances. 
Monsieur  Taynac's  bees  traversed  ten  miles  with  messages 
on  their  backs ;  they  travelled  at  the  rate  of  twelve  and  one- 
half  miles  per  hour.  Boys  at  school  used  to  catch  blue- 
bottle flies,  and  with  fine  thread  fastened  bits  of  paper  to 
their  legs  and  let  them  loose  in  the  school-room,  to  the 
delight  of  the  other  pupils,  and  the  annoyance  of  the 
patient  and  long-suffering  teacher  ;  but  the  paper  message 
is  glued  on  the  bee's  thorax  between  the  wings  and  the 
head. 

How  to  Make  the  Message. 

With  a  little  pair  of  scissors  cut  some  small  slips  of  pa- 
per in  the  form  of  Fig.  233.     Make  a  slit  at  the  bottom,  and 


FIG.  230.       FIG.  231.       FIG.  232. 


FIG.  233. 


FIG.  230. — Sticking  the  Messages  on  the  Bee. 
FIG.  231. — The  Tweezers. 


FIG.  232.— Bottle  of  Fish  Glue. 
FIG.  233. — Paper  for  Message. 


bend  the  divided  parts  in  opposite  directions.  Monsieur 
Taynac  used  isinglass  with  which  to  glue  the  paper  to  his 
bees,  but  there  are  other  glues  that  will  answer.  Mucilage 
can  be  made  to  serve  the  purpose ;  but  great  care  must 
be  taken  to  prevent  daubing  the  sticky  stuff  on  the  poor 
insect's  wings  or  legs. 


236 


Summer 


How  to  Handle  the  Bees. 

The  best  manner  of  handling  bees,  and  the  safest  way  to 
prevent  being  stung,  is  to  use  a  small  pair  of  tweezers 
to  pick  them  up  with  and  to  hold  them  (Figs.  230  and 
231).  Monsieur  Taynac  uses  a  little  gauze  cage  to  trans- 
port his  bees.  When  a  bee  with  a  letter  on  his  back  reaches 
the  home  hive,  the  message  standing  upright  on  his  back 

prevents  him  from  entering  the  door- 
way, and  the  owner  on  watch  finds 
the  messenger  bee  crawling  around 
and  captures  him. 

How  to  Write  the  Message. 

The  bit  of  paper  is  so  small  that  it 
would  be  difficult  to  write  even  a 
sentence  on  it,  but  any  boy  with  a 
hard,  sharp  pencil  can  make  a  few 
figures  on  the  slip,  and  if  his  friend 
has  a  key  he  can  read  the  message. 
Each  figure  may  stand  for  a  sentence, 
and  with  i,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  7,  8,  9,  o, 
you  will  have  ten  sentences.  If  you 
add  the  alphabet  to  this  and  allow 
each  letter  from  A  to  Z  to  stand  for  a  sentence,  you  will 
have  twenty-six  more,  or  thirty-six  sentences  in  all ;  and, 
with  thirty-six  well-chosen  sentences  a  great  deal  can  be 
said.  You  may  add  thirty-six  more  by  adding  a  dot  over 
each  letter  and  number,  thus,  3  or  D  ;  and  thirty-six  more 
by  a  dash  over  each  character,  thus,  3  or  D.  Here  we 
have  3  for  one  sentence,  3  for  another,  3  for  still  another. 
With  the  aid  of  a  magnifying  glass  and  a  finely  pointed 
pencil  several  sentences  may  be  put  on  one  bit  of  paper. 


FIG.  234. — Enlarged  View  of 
Honey  Bee  with  Message. 
Drawn  from  a  photograph. 


Honey- Bee  Messengers  237 

Suppose  A  to  stand  for  some  such  sentence  as  this: 
"  If  to-morrow  is  pleasant,"  and  B  to  stand  for  "  Meet  me 
after  school  at  the  old  chestnut-tree,"  and  nine  with  a  dot 
over  it  (9)  to  mean  "  We  will  go  a-fishing,"  A  9  B  will  be 
read  by  your  friend:  "  If  to-morrow  is  pleasant  we  will  go 
a-fishing.  Meet  me  after  school  at  the  old  chestnut-tree." 

How  to  Make  Your  Key. 

Write  the  numbers,  beginning  with  i  and  ending  with  o, 
in  a  column,  2  below  i,  3  below  2,  etc.  Opposite  each  num- 
ber write  the  sentence  you  wish  it  to  represent,  below  the 
first  column  of  figures  place  a  second  column,  in  every  way 
similar  to  the  first,  except  that  each  figure  has  a  dot  over 
it ;  then  a  third,  each  figure  with  a  dash  over  it ;  then  three 
alphabets,  one  plain,  one  with  a  dot,  and  the  third  with  a 
dash  above  each'  letter.  Opposite  each  character  write  the 
sentence  you  desire  it  to  stand  for  in  your  code. 

Of  this  key  make  a  duplicate,  which  is  to  be  given  to 
your  correspondent. 

Bee  Stings  and  How  to  Avoid  Them. 

Some  cousins  of  mine  and  myself  had  been  gathering 
nuts  on  the  shores  of  Lake  Erie  and  were  sitting  on  an  old 
log  to  rest  and  crack  a  few  walnuts.  We  had  not  ham- 
mered long  on  the  old  log  before  we  were  aware  of  a 
peculiar  buzzing  noise  inside,  and  the  next  thing  that 
claimed  our  attention  was  a  stream  of  very  angry  yellow- 
jackets  pouring  out  of  a  hole  in  the  log,  all  intent  upon 
wreaking  vengeance  upon  the  disturbers  of  their  peace.  I 
fled  in  dismay,  wildly  swinging  my  hat,  but  my  two  coun- 
try cousins  stood  stock  still  and  were  passed  unnoticed  by 
the  angry  insects,  all  of  whom  devoted  their  entire  attention 
to  me  with  a  persistency  that  baffled  my  most  energetic 


238  Summer 


efforts  to  fight  them  off.  They  stung  me  in  the  back  of  the 
neck,  in  the  edge  of  my  hair,  behind  the  ears,  and  even 
crawled  down  inside  my  collar  and  left  their  stings  in  my 
back  until  I  howled  with  pain. 

Experience  is  a  Good  School. 

I  have  seldom  been  stung  since,  and  the  few  times  I 
have  suffered  have  been  what  might  be  called  accidents. 
Once  I  put  on  a  hat  that  had  a  lot  of  bumble  bees  in  it ; 
once  I  took  up  a  pail  and  a  wasp  at  the  same  time,  but  I 
never  since  have  been  attacked  by  a  swarm,  although  it  has 
happened  that  bees,  wasps,  and  yellow-jackets  have  rushed 
out  of  their  homes  with  murder  in  their  hearts,  and  finding 
only  a  perfectly  motionless  figure,  have  either  passed  me  by 
or  alighted  on  me,  crawled  around  for  awhile,  and  then 
flown  away  without  once  unsheathing  their  sharp  little 
swords. 

A  Bee's  Stinger. 

Under  a  powerful  microscope  the  point  of  a  cambric 
needle  looks  like  the  blunt  end  of  a  crowbar,  and  the 
point  of  a  pin  is  no  point  at  all ;  but  the  sting  of  a  bee  is 
sharp  even  under  the  powerful  magnifying  glasses  of  the 
microscope,  and  when  magnified  a  thousand  times  it  still 
looks  as  a  fine  needle-point  does  to  the  naked  eye. 

I  have  always  found  almost  immediate  relief  when  the 
sting  left  by  a  bee  or  wasp  has  been  removed.  This  may 
be  done  with  a  needle  or  with  the  pointed  blade  of  a  pocket- 
knife.  But  the  best  plan  is  to  use  care  and  then  you  will 
not  be  stung. 


CHAPTER  XX 

A    "ZOO" 

For  the  Housetop  or  the  Backyard — How  to  Build  a  Coop  for  Animals 
on  the  Roof  or  in  the  Yard — The  Way  to  Provide  Homes  for  Various 
Kinds  of  Pets. 

ASCENDING  any  of  the  modern  "sky-scraper"  buildings 
and  gazing  around  at  the  vast  city  beneath,  one  is  interested 
in  the  acres  and  acres  of  wasted  space  of  tin  and  gravel 
roofs.  I  know  of  no  good  reason  why  this  space  may  not 
be  utilized  for  pleasure.  Roof-gardens  are  not  difficult  to 
construct,  and  can  do  no  possible  damage  to  the  buildings 
if  they  are  properly  made. 

Boys  in  the  city  have  "  no  place  to  be,"  as  I  heard  one 
of  them  express  it.  They  are  fretful  and  a  nuisance  in  the 
house,  and  on  the  street  they  are  a  constant  source  of  anx- 
iety to  their  parents,  and  annoyance  to  the  policemen.  All 
boys  with  healthy  minds  are  fond  of  pets,  and  as  I  look  out 
of  my  studio  window  on  the  unoccupied  fields  of  red  tin 
and  white  gravel  roofs  I  wonder  that  the  space  is  not  used 
for  the  neglected  young  people  of  the  city,  or  that  the 
young  people  do  not  pre-empt  claims,  as  their  ancestors 
did  the  sites  upon  which  the  buildings  are  built. 

Strange  Birds  on  the  City  Housetops. 

Up  aloft,  above  the  crowded,  noisy  streets,  you  are  more 
free  to  breathe,  to  see  and  to  enjoy  life.  Overhead  is  the 


240 


Summer 


blue  sky,  as  yet  unmarred  by  "no  trespass"  signs,  and 
unfrequented  by  policemen.  Even  the  wild  birds  know 
this,  and  1  have  myself  seen  a  bald-headed  eagle  calmly 
roosting  on  a  flag-pole,  gazing  with  dignified  curiosity  upon 
the  crazy  lot  of  human  beings  hurrying  along  crowded 
Broadway.  Not  long  ago,  casually  looking  over  a  roof  on 


FiO.  235.— A  City  Boy's  Zoo. 

Fifth  Avenue,  I  saw  a  black-crested  night  heron  patiently 
standing  on  one  leg  in  a  pool  of  rain-water,  awaiting  the 
appearance  of  some  unwary  fish  or  frog,  all  unconscious  of 
the  fact  that  such  creatures  do  not,  as  a  rule,  frequent  red 
tin  roofs. 

Once,  while  experimenting  with  a  new  kind  of  kite  for 
the  boys,  and  losing  my  patience  over  the  network  of  wires 
that  then  covered  the  downtown  roofs,  I  was  startled  to 


A  "  Zoo  " 


241 


see  that   I  was  watched  by  a  great  Virginia  horned  owl, 
perched  upon  a  neighboring  smokestack. 

A  friend  whose  business  is  among  the  great  warehouses 
along  the  river-front  tells  me  that  on  more  than  one 
occasion  he  has  seen  yellow-legs  running  over  the  roofs  and 
shy  woodcock  boring  for 
worms  in  the  soft  black  mud 
accumulated  in  the  gutters 
on  the  tops  of  high  build- 
ings. 


Material  Easy  to  Get. 

Now,  since  these  wild 
creatures  visit  the  tops  of 
buildings  of  their  own  ac- 
cord, why  cannot  the  boys 
use  the  vacant  housetops 
for  private  zoological  gar- 
dens of  their  own,  where 
white  rats,  coons,  crows, 
herons,  pigeons,  and  chick- 
ens could  be  reared  and  en- 
joyed? Coops,  pens,  and 
inclosures  can,  with  little 
ingenuity,  be  built  for  the 
shelter  and  protection  of 
the  pets.  Wire-netting  is  an  ideal  material  for  such  struct- 
ures. All  boys,  however,  are  not  supplied  with  the  requis- 
ite amount  of  money,  but  I  never  yet  saw  the  boy  who 
could  not  obtain  a  few  old  barrels,  and  the  barrel-staves  are 
most  excellent  material  for  pigeon-  or  chicken-coops  and 
rabbit-houses.  What  will  do  for  these  animals  will  do  for 
any  creature  a  boy  is  likely  to  possess. 
16 


FIG.  236.— End  View  of  House. 


242 


Summer 


FIG.  237.— End  Pieces  Set  Up. 


You  Must  Be  a  Carpenter. 

Select  two  sticks  for  uprights,  and  let  them  be  exactly 
the  same  length  and  long  enough  to  enable  you  to  stand  up 

inside  the  coop  when  it  is 
finished. 

Cut  two  more  uprights 
a  foot  or  two  shorter,  to 
give  a  pitch  to  your  roof. 
Lay  these  on  the  floor, 
and  nail  on  firmly  cross- 
pieces,  as  shown  in  Fig. 
236,  the  frame  for  the  ends 
of  your  house.  Place  the 
largest  upright  against 
the  fire-wall  of  the  roof,  and  fasten  it  there ;  at  the  proper 
distance  —  say  six  feet,  set  up  the  other  end  piece  (Fig. 
237) ;  connect  the  front  and  rear  with  cross-pieces,  as  in 
Fig.  238,  and  erect  two  more  uprights  for  door -jambs 
(see  A  B  and  C  D,  Fig. 
238) ;  nail  all  firmly  togeth- 
er, and  fasten  on  the  roof 
the  stringer  (E  F,  Fig.  238) 
and  the  braces  G  H,  I  J, 
G  L,  and  J  K ;  split  a  num- 
ber of  barrel  -  staves,  and 
nail  them  on,  as  in  Fig.  235. 
For  the  roof  of  the  coop 

USe    Whole    Staves    in    place  FIG.  ^-Frame  of  House. 

of  shingles,  and  lay  them 

tile  fashion.  Make  one  row  on  the  lower  end  of  the  roof, 
all  with  their  hollow,  or  concave,  side  up,  and  place  them 
several  inches  apart.  At  the  upper  end  place  a  second  row 


A  "  Zoo  " 


243 


in  the  same  manner.  Commence  again  at  the  bottom,  and 
place  a  second  row  of  staves,  each  overlapping  the  staves 
on  each  side,  and  covering  the  open  spaces  left  between  the 
first  ones;  these  last  must 
have  their  round,  that  is, 
their  convex,  side  up.  Re- 
peat the  process  for  the 
second  tier,  and  the  roof 
is  complete  and  water- 
tight. 

Make   a    door-frame   of 
four  sticks.     Cross  it  with 


FIG.  239.— Finished  House. 


slats  of  split  staves.     From 

the  soles  of  cast-off  shoes 

make  a  pair  of  leather  hinges,  and,  with  the  addition  of  a 

hook  and  eye,  the  thing  is  done. 

Plank  the  back  end  up  solid  above  the  fire-walls,  and 
you  have  a  good,  substantial  chicken-coop,  rabbit-house,  or 
cage  for  other  pets.  A  run-way  for  exercise  room  for  your 
pets  may  be  connected  with  the  coop  by  a  door,  as  in  Fig. 
240. 

Splendid  for  a  Yard,  too. 

This  same  house  is  first-class  in  a  yard,  if  any  of  you  city 
boys  are  fortunate  enough  to  have  one,  and  when  neatly 

built  looks  well,  and,  if  you 
choose,  its  cost  will  be 
absolutely  nothing,  except 
the  exercise  of  your  mus- 
cle and  brain. 

There    are    boys,    and 


FIG.  240. — Run-way. 


many  of  them  to-day,  who  have  spending-money  freely 
given  to  them  by  their  wealthy  parents,  and  who  can  con- 
sequently buy  whatever  they  wish.  This  is  an  unfortunate 


244 


Summer 


condition  for  the  boys  to  be  placed  in,  for,  as  a  rule,  they 
will  never  know  the  real  pleasure  of  being  a  boy.  But  even 
these  boys  may  have  some  fun  if,  in  place  of  buying  things 
outright,  they  spend  their  money  for  materials  and  then 
make  their  own  playthings — rabbit-houses,  kites,  and  sleds. 
The  boy  with  money  may  have  beautiful  carpenter-tools, 
plenty  of  selected  timber,  and  wire  netting,  and  with  these 
and  a  little  skill  he  may  build  houses  for  his  pets  which  will 
be  an  ornament  to  his  father's  grounds.  But  while  his 
wire-netted  cages  will  look  more  expensive,  the  barrel-stave 
cage  will  answer  all  purposes,  and,  if  neatly  made,  will 
look  more  picturesque. 


FIG.  241. 


CHAPTER  XXI 
CHOOSING  UP  AND  "IT" 

"  Which  Hand  is  It  in  ? "— "  Pick'er  Up,  Wipe'er  Off,  and  Stone- 
holder"—  "  Last  One  Over  "—Short  Straw— Handy,  Dandy,  Riderly 
Ro— "Whole  Fist  or  Four  Fingers "— " Odd  or  Even?"— "Wet 
or  Dry?" 

TWENTY-FIVE  years  ago  a  popular  method  of  deciding 
which  boy  should  be  "  It "  was  called  "  Which  hand  is  it 
in?"  A  boy,  in  the  party  about  to  engage  in  some  game, 
would  pick  up  a  pebble,  and  facing  his  companions  he 
would  put  his  hands  behind  him  and  place  the  stone  in 
either  hand  to  suit  himself.  Then  extending  his  closed  fists 
to  a  companion  he  would  exclaim,  "Which  hand  is  it  in?" 

The  companion,  after  due  study  and  deliberation,  would 
say,  "Not  that!"  as  he  slapped  one  extended  fist  with  his 
open  hand.  If  the  hand  he  chose  was  empty  he  would  "  go 
free  ; "  if  not,  he  would  take  the  stone  and  go  through  the 
same  performance  with  the  next  boy,  and  thus  the  process 
would  continue.  Each  lad  went  free  when  he  passed  the 
stone  on,  and  each  lad  who  guessed  the  empty  hand  went 
free,  until  all  had  had  a  chance  and  one  boy  was  left  hold- 
ing the  stone  in  his  hand. 

The  evident  objection  to  this  method  is  that  the  first 
boy  has  every  chance  to  go  free — that  is,  if  there  are  six 
boys  the  first  one  has  only  one  chance  in  six  of  being 
caught,  and  the  next  one  one  chance  in  five.  But  the  last 


246  Summer 


one  has  only  one  chance  in  two  of  going  free.  This  does 
not  appear  to  affect  the  popularity  of  this  method,  although 
the  eagerness  of  the  boys  to  hold  the  stone  first,  or  to  have 
first  choice,  plainly  shows  that  they  fully  understand  the 
importance  of  first  choice. 

Of  course  the  last  boy  to  hold  the  stone  is  "  It." 

"  Pick'er  up,  Wipe'er  off,  and  Stone-holder  " 

stands  as  evidence  that  the  boys  see  nothing  unfair  in  the 
old  method  of  "  Which  hand  is  it  in,"  and  that  they  deem 
it  right  that  the  boy  whose  wits  are  the  quickest  is  entitled 
to  go  free. 

As  soon  as  a  game  is  proposed  nowadays  one  lad  shouts 
"  Pick'er  up ! "  as  he  stoops  and  picks  up  a  pebble.  The 
words  are  not  out  of  his  mouth  before  another  cries 
"  Wipe'er  off !  "  and  a  third  "  Stone-holder." 

Pick'er-up  hands  the  stone  to  Wipe'er-off.  Pick'er-up  is 
then  free,  Wipe'er-off  makes  a  great  show  of  wiping  the 
stone  off  on  his  trouser  leg,  and  hands  it  to  Stone-holder. 
Wipe'er-off  is  then  free  and  Stone-holder  puts  his  hands  be- 
hind him,  arranges  the  stone  as  described  in  the  preceding 
method  and  allows  the  next  boy  to  choose  which  hand  it  is 
in.  The  last  lad  to  hold  the  stone  is  "  It." 

"Last  One  Over  is  'It!'" 

This  is  a  simple  but  exciting  mode  of  deciding  who  shall 
be  in  that  terrible  position  described  as  "  It." 

Suppose  that  a  group  of  boys  are  standing  by  a  fence 
and  one  of  them  proposes  a  game  of  "  I  spy."  No  sooner 
is  the  proposition  made  than  another  lad  shouts  "  Last  one 
over  the  fence  is  '  It ! '  " 

Immediately  all  is  confusion  and  hubbub.  Each  boy  is 
trying  his  best  to  scramble,  leap,  vault,  or  tumble  over  the 


Choosing  Up  and  "ft"  247 

fence  before  his  companions  can  perform  the  feat.  Some- 
times the  cry  is  "  Last  one  across  the  street !  "  or  "  Last  one 
to  the  corner  and  back  !  "  etc. 

Whatever  it  be,  a  trial  of  speed,  agility,  or  skill,  that  is 
proposed,  the  last  boy  to  accomplish  the  feat  is  "  It." 

Short  Straw. 

From  a  handful  of  straws  or  grass,  one  of  the  boys  selects 
as  many  pieces  as  there  are  to  be  players  in  the  proposed 
game.  One  of  the  blades  of  grass  or  pieces  of  straw  is  cut 
off  so  that  it  will  be  much  shorter  than  the  other  pieces. 

"  Straw-holder  "  arranges  the  straws  so  that  the  top  ends 
protrude  from  his  closed  fist,  either  perfectly  even  or  irreg- 
ular in  their  height  above  the  hand  according  to  his  fancy. 
It  may  happen  that  the  first  boy  to  choose  a  straw  will 
select  the  short  one.  This  in  a  measure  spoils  the  fun,  and 
to  guard  against  it  the  lads  are  often  made  to  stand  up  in 
a  line  and  each  one  in  turn  pulls  a  straw  from  the  fist  of 
"  Straw-holder."  Each  one  is  expected  and  required  to 
put  it  behind  his  back  immediately  and  keep  it  there  until 
all  the  boys  in  the  line  have  straws  behind  their  backs. 

Then  "  Straw-holder,"  holding  up  the  straw  left  in  his 
own  hand,  cries,  "  Who  is  short  straw  ?  "  At  that  each  boy 
produces  his  straw  and  compares  it  with  the  others. 

While  it  adds  greatly  to  the  interest  to  have  all  the 
straws  of  different  lengths,  it  is  best  to  make  the  short  straw 
unmistakably  shorter  than  any  of  its  fellows.  Otherwise 
the  game  may  be  broken  up  by  a  heated  and  angry  dispute, 
a  state  of  affairs  never  desirable  and  one  which  is  easily 
avoided  by  the  precaution  suggested  above. 

After  comparison  of  the  relative  length  of  all  the  straws, 
the  boy  found  with  the  shortest  straw  in  his  possession  is 
"It." 


248  Summer 


"Handy,  Dandy,  Riderly,  Ro." 

This  is  another  form  of  "  Which  hand  is  it  in,"  only  in 
this  case  the  fists  are  put  one  above  the  other.  One  hand 
contains  a  button,  stone,  piece  of  coal,  or  any  other  object, 
and  the  other  hand  is  empty.  The  two  hands  are  then 
clenched  tightly  and  are  extended  out  in  front  of  the 
"  Stone  -holder,"  who  shouts  "  Handy,  dandy,  riderly,  ro  ! 
Which  will  you  have,  high  or  low  ?  " 

The  boy  appealed  to  makes  a  guess.  If  he  guesses  the 
empty  hand  he  goes  free.  If  he  guesses  the  hand  with  the 
stone  in  it  he  takes  the  stone  and  says,  "  Handy,  dandy," 
etc.,  to  the  next  player,  who  guesses  high  or  low  as  suits 
him.  The  last  one  to  hold  the  stone  is  "  It" 

"  Whole  Fist  or  Four  Fingers  ?  " 

shouts  one  of  the  boys,  as  he  grasps  with  his  right  hand  the 
middle  of  a  base-ball  bat  or  broom-stick.  Immediately  the 
other  boys  fall  in  line  and  the  lad  with  the  stick  tosses  it  to 
the  first  boy  in  such  a  manner  that  the  stick  does  not  lose 
its  upright  position.  The  first  boy  must  catch  it  with  his 
left  hand,  and  he  is  not  allowed  to  move  his  hand  after 
catching  it  until  the  test  is  over,  or  until  his  turn  comes 
around  again  and  he  puts  his  other  hand  on. 

Number  two  in  the  line  now  grasps  the  stick  with  his 
right  hand  just  above  and  close  against  number  one's  hand. 
Number  three  does  the  same  with  his  left  hand  and  so  on 
until  the  first  boy's  turn  again  comes.  Then  this  boy  puts 
one  hand  on  and  number  one  puts  his  right  hand  on  the 
stick  until  at  last  one  boy  is  unable  to  get  his  whole  fist  or 
four  fingers  on  the  stick.  When  that  happens,  the  boy  that 
fails  is  "  It." 

This  is  a  poor  method  where  there  are  four  or  more 


Choosing  Up  and  "It"  249 

boys  in  the  game,  but  for  any  game  where  the  captains 
choose  their  sides  it  is  a  very  popular  method  of  deciding 
between  the  two  captains  which  shall  have  first  choice. 
When  only  two  are  choosing,  the  first  tosses  the  bat,  as  de- 
scribed, the  second  catches  it  with  his  left  hand,  then  tht 
first  puts  his  right  hand  on  top  of  the  second's  left,  the 
second  places  his  right  hand  on  top  of  the  first  boy's  right ; 
and  in  this  manner  the  hands  climb  to  the  top  of  the  bat  or 
stick  until  the  time  comes  when  one  is  unable  to  get  four 
fingers  on  the  bat. 

When  this  occurs  the  other  boy  has  first  choice  of  his 
playmates  for  the  game  that  is  to  follow,  which  is  usually 
a  game  of  ball.  While  evidently  not  invented  for  that  pur- 
pose, still  the  author  has  often  seen  "  Whole  fist  or  four 
fingers"  used  to  decide  who  should  be  "It." 

"Odd  or  Even?" 

is  also  generally  used  to  decide  who  shall  have  first  choice 
in  a  "  choosing  up "  game,  but  like  "  Whole  fist  or  four 
fingers  "  it  is  sometimes  used  for  counting  out.  One  boy 
takes  the  contents  of  his  pocket,  a  handful  of  marbles, 
Jack-stones,  pebbles,  coin,  or  whatever  is  handy,  and  hold- 
ing out  his  closed  hand  cries  "Odd  or  even?"  meaning, 
"  Have  I  an  odd  or  even  number  of  objects  in  my  hand  ?" 
The  other  boy  makes  a  guess,  and  if  it  is  correct  he  has 
first  choice,  and  if  not  the  first  choice  falls  to  the  share  of 
the  one  who  holds  the  objects. 

When  used  in  counting  out  the  boy  who  guesses  cor- 
rectly goes  free,  while  he  who  does  not  turns  to  the  next  and 
cries  "  Odd  or  even  ?  "  with  his  extended  hand  filled  with 
the  contents  of  his  own  pocket.  When  all  are  free  but  one, 
that  one  is  "  It." 


250  Summer 


"Heads  or  Tails?" 

It  seems  absurd  that  any  one  should  deem  it  necessary 
to  describe  in  detail  this  method  of  deciding  a  disputed 
point,  but  the  author  has  written  a  great  many  things  for 
boys,  and  consequently  learned  much  by  experience.  He 
knows  that  he  will  be  forgiven  much  more  readily  for  de- 
scribing something  the  reader  is  perfectly  familiar  with 
than  he  will  for  taking  it  for  granted  that  the  reader  knows 
all  about  it,  which,  if  true,  would  do  away  with  the  neces- 
sity of  books  altogether. 

Throw  up  a  cent  or  other  coin  and  cry  "  Heads  or 
tails  ?  "  Your  playmate  must  make  his  choice  and  call  out 
his  guess  while  the  coin  is  in  the  air.  Then  both  stoop  and 
examine  the  piece  of  money  as  it  rests  on  the  ground.  If 
the  side  with  the  date  on  it  is  up,  that  is  "  heads  "  ;  if  the 
other  side  is  up,  it  is  "  tails."  If  your  playmate's  guess 
was  correct,  he  has  first  choice  for  sides  in  the  game  you 
are  about  to  play  ;  otherwise  you  have  first  choice. 

When  this  game  is  used  for  counting  out,  each  one  goes 
free  who  makes  a  lucky  guess,  and  each  one  who  fails  tosses 
the  coin  for  the  next  one  to  guess.  If  at  any  time  the  coin 
does  not  lie  flat  on  the  ground,  but  rests  wholly  or  partly 
upon  its  edge,  that  toss  does  not  count,  and  it  must  be 
tossed  over  again. 

When  all  the  boys  but  one  have  gone  free,  the  boy  who 
is  left  is  "  It." 

"Wet  or  Dry?" 

This  was  formerly  the  method  of  deciding  who  should 
have  first  choice  for  sides  in  a  game  of  ball.  Not  base-ball, 
for  it  was  before  that  now  popular  game  had  made  its  ap- 
pearance. It  was  used  for  "  town-ball,"  a  game  played  with 
a  flat  bat  like  a  cricket  bat.  One  boy  would  dampen  one 


Choosing  Up  and  "It"  251 

side  of  the  bat,  and  then  send  the  bat  twirling  in  the  air, 
and  the  other  boy  would  guess  which  side  would  come  up, 
wet  or  dry.  Often  one  side  of  the  bat  would  be  marked 
with  a  piece  of  chalk  or  soft  brick,  and  that  side  was  called 
wet.  But  the  old  flat  bat  and  the  old  game  have  both  been 
swept  aside. 

"  Wet  or  dry  "  has  not  disappeared,  however,  with  the 
bat  that  originated  it.  If  any  one  will  watch  the  boys  care- 
fully as  they  scream  and  shout  at  their  play,  he  will  no 
doubt,  sooner  or  later,  see  the  youngsters  decide  "  first 
choice  "  by  throwing  up  a  chip  and  crying  "  Wet  or  dry  ?  " 
The  choice  is  decided  exactly  as  it  is  in  "  Heads  or  tails," 
or  "  Odd  or  even,"  and  when  the  chip  is  used  in  counting 
out,  as  in  "  Heads  or  tails,"  "Odd  or  even,"  or  "Which 
hand  is  it  in,"  each  boy  has  a  turn  to  guess.  The  boy  who 
fails,  tosses  the  chip,  until  another  unlucky  playmate  fails, 
when  he  in  his  turn  tosses  the  chip,  crying  "  Wet  or  dry  ?  " 
This  goes  on  until  all  the  boys  are  free  but  one,  and  as  this 
one,  should  he  choose  to  toss  the  chip,  would  have  no  one 
to  guess  but  himself,  he  gracefully  accepts  the  situation 
and  becomes  "  It." 


CHAPTER  XXII 
COUNTING  OUT   RHYMES 

How  the  Game  is  Played — Various  Rhymes — An  American  Version  of 
an  Ancient  Rhyme  — Causes  of  Variations  —  Rhymes  of  Different 
Nationalities. 

THE  full-grown  man  who  hears  the  once  familiar  words, 
or  rather  articulate  sounds,  of  "  On-ery,  ore-ry,  ick-ery, 
Ann !  "  without  a  pleased  smile  overspreading  his  face,  is  a 
man  devoid  of  sentiment,  or  a  man  with  no  fond  memories 
of  his  own  boyhood  days. 

For  untold  centuries  the  boys  have  handed  the  queer, 
whimsical  rhymes  down  to  their  younger  playmates  with 
only  slight  variations.  "  On-ery,  ore-ry "  is  sometimes 
"  one-ry,  two-ery,"  etc.,  but  the  author  has  made  diligent 
inquiry  among  fyis  young  acquaintances  and  has  been  un- 
able to  find  more  than  one  or  two  verses  that  were  not 
familiar  to  him  in  his  own  childhood. 

After  consulting  the  rhymes  contributed  by  H.  Carring- 
ton  Bolton,  of  Trinity  College,  to  the  Boston  Journal  of 
Education;  those  published  in  the  New  York  Mail  and 
Express  of  May  9,  1885  ;  a  collection  in  the  Journal  of 
American  Folk-Lore,  and  a  collection  by  William  Wells 
Newell,  in  his  interesting  book  of  "  Games  and  Songs  of 
American  Children,"  the  author  is  still  unable  to  add  many 
new  ones  to  his  list. 


Counting  Out  Rhymes  253 


How  to  Count  Out. 

These  quaint  rhymes  seem  to  be  the  common  property 
of  all  children,  especially  those  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  or 
Anglo-Norman  race.  We  all  know  how  these  rhymes  are 
used.  A  game  is  about  to  be  started  and  one  boy  chooses 
to  count  out.  After  a  brief  clamor  of  protests  from  his 
playmates,  all  of  whom  are  anxious  to  do  the  counting 
themselves,  the  first  boy  is  generally  allowed  to  proceed. 

Standing  his  playmates  in  a  row  in  front  of  him,  or  in 
a  circle  around  him,  he  places  his  forefinger  on  his  own 
breast  and  impressively  pronounces  the  word  "  one-ery." 
Placing  his  finger  on  the  breast  of  the  first  playmate  to  the 
left  he  repeats  "  two-ery  "  or  "  ory  "  according  to  his  ver- 
sion of  the  rhyme.  With  each  mystic  word  he  places  his 
finger  upon  the  chest  of  a  playmate  until  he  comes  to 
"  buck."  Buck  is  out,  or  free,  and  the  count  commences 
over  again,  each  buck  going  free  until  only  one  boy  is  left, 
and  he  is  "  It." 

Sometimes  it  happens  that  there  are  more  boys  than 
words  in  the  counting  rhyme,  or  the  counter  foresees  that 
he  himself  will  be  "  It."  In  both  cases  he  adds  to  the  verse 

something  like  this : 

One,  two,  three, 
Out  goes  he! 

Often  he  will  add  a  whole  verse  and  dialogue  as  follows : 

One,  two,  three, 

Out  goes  he 

Into  the  middle 

Of  the  deep  blue  sea ! 

Are  you  willing  to  be  IT? 

Here  the  boy  indicated  answers  "yes"  or  "no  "as  it 
suits  him,  and  the  counter  continuing,  repeats,  "  N  —  O 


254  Summer 


spells  No,"  or  "Y— E— S  spells  Yes,  and  you  are  out 
O— U— T  spells  Out!" 

This  is  spoken  with  long  pauses  between  the  words  or 
letters.  "Out"  is  free,  and  the  counting  commences  again: 

One-ry,  or-ry,  ickery,  Ann! 
Fillison,  follison,  Nicholas,  John, 
Queevy,  quavy,  English  Navy, 
Stinckelum,  stanklum,  buck! 

Or,  as  it  is  sometimes  repeated : 

One-ery,  two-ery,  hickory  han, 
Fillison,  follison,  Nicholas,  John. 
Queevy,  quavy,  Virgin   Mary, 
Stingelum,  stangelum,  berry  buck ! 

Some  say  "  English  navy,"  some  "  Virgin  Mary,"  some 
"  Irish  Mary,"  etc.  As  a  rule,  "  English  navy  "  is  for  boys, 
and  "  Virgin "  or  "  Irish  Mary "  for  girls.  Some  end 
with  simple  "  buck,"  some  with  "  berry  buck,"  some  with 
"  John  buck,"  others  with  "  Jericho  buck,"  etc.  According 
to  Mr.  Bolton  there  are  at  least  thirty  variations  of  this 
rhyme,  but  the  lines  given  here  will  be  all  that  are  neces- 
sary for  our  purpose. 

A  Counting  Verse. 

It  is  evident  that  "  Mother  Goose "  and  various  other 
nursery  books  have  contributed  some  of  the  verses  used, 
but  none  of  these  have  the  true  ring  in  them.  It  is  appar- 
ent that  the  following  has  been  adapted  by  the  boys  for 
the  purpose  of  a  counting  verse  : 

One  a  penny  bun, 

Two  a  penny  bun, 

One  a  penny,  two  a  penny; 

Out  goes  one ! 


Counting  Out  Rhymes  255 

And  this : 

One  a  penny  bun, 

Two  a  penny  bun, 

One  a  penny,  two  a  penny 

Hot  cross  buns ! 

If  your  mother  don't  like  'em, 

Give  them  to  her  son. 

One  a  penny,  two  a  penny, 

Out  goes  one  ! 

The  following  rhyme  is  unmistakably 

An  American  Version  of  an  Ancient  Verse. 

It  brings   in  our  colored  brother  in  the  "befo*  de  wah" 

style. 

Enna,  mena,  mina,  mo, 
Catch  a  niga  by  the  toe ; 
When  he  hollers,  let  him  go, 
Enna,  mena,  mina,  mo  ! 

It  is  evident  that  the  above  American  verse  has  been 
built  on  the  framework  of  the  antique  Cornwall  rhyme 
which  has  the  reputation  of  coming  down  from  the  Druid 
priests  of  ancient  Britain  : 

Ena,  mena,  mona,  mite, 
Pasca,  laura,  bona,  bite, 
Eggs,  butter,  cheese,  bread, 
Stick,  stock,  stone,  dead. 

Another  verse  springing  from  the  same  root  is  familiar 
to  the  boys  all  over  the  land  in  some  one  of  its  many  varia- 
tions : 

Ana,  mana,  mona,  Mike, 

Barcelona,  bona,  strike ; 

Care,  ware,  frow,  frack, 

Hallico,  ballico,  we,  wo,  wack ! 

Huddy,  guddy,  boo, 

Oat  goes  you ! 


256  Summer 


The  last  two  lines  are  frequently  added  to  other  verses, 
and  do  not  belong  to  any  one  rhyme  in  particular. 

Another  form,  or  variation,  very  commonly  heard,  is  the 
same  as  the  last  with  this  exception,  in  place  of  "  Barcelona, 
bona,  strike,"  we  have  "Tuscalona,  bona,  strike." 

Many  differences  in  the  sounds  or  words  which  compose 
these  verses  are  due  to  the  different  pronunciations  of  the 
boys.  West  of  the  Alleghany  Mountains  the  boys  will  say 
"  Wee,  wo,  whack  / "  But  in  New  York  and  along  the 
Atlantic  coast  the  boys  drop  the  "  h  "  in  whack  as  they  do 
in  "  white,"  "  what,"  and  "  whip,"  which  they  pronounce 
"  wite,"  "  wat,"  and  "wip."  Consequently  the  New  York 
boy  says  "  Hallico,  ballico,  we,  wo,  wack"  Here  is  another 
ending  that  the  counter  sometimes  adds  to  his  verse  to 
lengthen  it  or  to  save  himself  from  being  "  It." 

Three  cheers  for  the  red,  white,  and  blue  ! 
All  are  out  but  you ! 

In  this  case  the  one  named  "  you  "  is  "  It,"  and  all  the  others 
go  free. 

Some  Good  Rhymes. 

Among  the  many  notes  made  for  this  chapter  there  are 
some  for  the  explanation  of  which  it  was  evidently  intended 
that  the  memory  should  supply  the  data.  But  in  the  case 
of  the  following  verse  memory  has  failed  to  do  its  duty. 
The  lines,  however,  make  good  counting  out  rhymes  with 
the  real  swing  in  them. 

Fip  Dick,  bumphrey  gig, 
Mother  Hop-foot  milled  a  pig ; 
Ithy,  mithy,  owery,  gout, 
Lytle  tinkar,  thou  art  out ! 

One-azall  two  a-zall,  titter  zal  zan, 
Bobtailed  Britisher,  little  girl  Nan ; 


Counting  Out  Rhymes  257 

Harum,  scarum,  ball  of  hot  rorum, 
Knuckle  bone,  crackle  bone,  bloody  bone, 
Tuck! 

Mr.  William  Wells  Newal  gives  a  verse  very  similar  to 
the  last  which  he  gets  from  Salem,  Mass.  It  is  interesting 
because  it  plainly  shows  that  the  phrase  "  One-azall,  two 
a-zall "  was  originally  "  One  is  all.  two  is  all,"  etc. 

One's  all,  zuzall,  titterall,  tawn, 
Bob  tailed  vinegar,  little  Paul  ran, 
Harum,  scarum,  merchant  marum, 
Nigger,  turn-pike,  toll-house  out. 

There  are  few  of  my  readers  but  have  either  used  or 
heard  the  following : 


Monkey,  monkey,  bottle  of  beer, 
How  many  monkeys  are  they  here  ? 
One,  two,  three, 
Out  goes  he ! 


But  I  doubt  if  many  of  them  are  familiar  with  this : 

Ane,  a-zall  tane  a-zall  titterzall  zee, 
Striddledum,  straddledum,  chicken  knee, 
Ham,  slam,  musty  jam, 
Stingum,  stangum,  bumble  bee. 

A  Quaint  One  from  Georgia 
is  given  in  " Games  and  Songs  of  American  Children:" 

One-amy,  nery,  hickory,  seven, 
Hallibone,  crackabone,  ten  and  eleven. 
Peep, — O,  it  must  be  done, 
Twiggle-t  waggle,  twenty -one  ! 

A  gentleman  from  Cambridge,  Mass.,  gives  the  follow- 
ing  one  as  a  favorite  rhyme  used  when  he  was  a  lad  some 


258  Summer 


twenty-five  years  ago.  There  is  nothing  ancient  either  in 
the  words  or  in  the  theme,  but  it  has  the  elements  of  popu- 
larity which  cannot  fail  to  please  some  of  my  readers : 

Bee,  bee,  bumble  bee, 
Stung  Jacob  on  the  knee, 
Stung  Sally  on  the  snout, 
Oh  !  golly,  you  are  out ! 

This  Cambridge  verse  reminds  me  of  one  sometimes 
used  in  Kentucky : 

Ole  Dan  Tucker  clum  a  tree, 

He  clum  so  high  he  couldn't  see. 

A  lizard  caught  him  by  the  snout 

And  he  hollered  for  a  niga  to  pull  him  out ! 

O-U-T  spells  out. 

Dan   Tucker   was  also  very  popular  as  a  dance,  and 
the  verse  was  sung  by  the  dancers. 

Another  nursery  jingle   sometimes   used  for  counting 

out  is : 

Hickery  dickery  dock 
The  mouse  ran  up  the  clock 
The  clock  struck  one 
And  down  he  come, 
Hickery  dickery  dock ! 

But  this  nas  the  genuine  swing  of  the  counting  rhyme : 

Haley,  Maley,  Tipperley  Tig, 
Teeny,  Tiney,  Tombo  Nig, 
Goat  throat,  bank  note, 
Tiney,  Toney,  Tiz ! 

And  this  is  a  familiar  old  timer : 

Five,  six,  seven,  eight, 
Mary  at  the  cottage  gate, 
Eating  plums  off  a  plate. 
Five,  six,  seven,  eight, 


Counting  Out  Rhymes  259 

1—2—3—4—5—6—7—8 ! 
Susan  at  the  garden  gate 
Eating  grapes  off  a  plate, 
1—2—3—4—5—6—7—8 ! 

Now  she  leaves  the  gate,  changes  her  name,  and  goes 

to  the  door: 

One,  two,  three,  four. 
Kitty  at  the  cottage  door, 
Eating  plums  off  a  plate, 
Five,  six,  seven,  eight! 

Susan  and  Kitty  are  both  left  out  in  the  following  and 
Mickey  takes  their  place: 

One,  two,  three, 

Mickey  caught  a  flea, 

The  flea  died  and  Mickey  cried, 

Out  goes  he ! 

Mickey  had  no  plate,  and  evidently  it  was  neither  plums 
nor  grapes  that  bothered  him.  But  a  lady  from  "  down 
East "  gives  the  following  in  which  Kitty  takes  Mickey's 

place : 

One,  two,  three, 

Kitty  caught  a  flea, 

The  flea  died  and  Kitty  cried, 

Out  goes  she. 

This  is  evidently  a  version  that  has  been  adapted  to  fit 
girl  players.  In  New  Haven  the  boarding-school  girls 
have  still  another  variation.  They  claim  that  it  was  mother 
who  caught  the  pest: 

One,  two,  three, 

Mother  caught  a  flea 

The  flea  died  and  mother  cried, 

One,  two,  three ! 


260  Summer 


But  no  self-respecting  boy  will  use  a  girl's  verse  to  count 
out  by.  So  they  may  use  "  Mickey  "  or  "Father"  in  the 
place  of  "Susan,"  "Kitty,"  and  "Mother,"  or,  better  still, 
take  another  rhyme,  for  there  are  plenty  of  them.  The 
verse  most  familiar  to  the  author,  because  with  the  boys  of 
his  acquaintance  it  was  the  most  popular,  is : 

Intry,  mintry,  pepery  corn, 

Apple  seed  and  apple  thorn  ! 

Wire,  brier,  limber  lock 

Three  geese  in  a  flock, 

One  flew  east,  and  one  flew  west, 

And  one  flew  over  the  cuckoo's  nest. 

Rhymes  of  Different  Nationalities. 

Upon  the  wind-swept  mountains  of  Scotland  the  bare- 
legged, kilted  descendants  of  Rob  Roy  when  preparing  for 
a  game  in  the  heather  count  out  with  this  verse : 

Eatum,  peatum,  penny,  pie, 
Babyioni,  stickum  stie, 
Stand  you  out  there  by ! 

The  little  Irish  lads  have  a  very  original  rhyme  of  their 
own  which  the  author  believes  few  if  any  Americans  have 

ever  heard : 

A  lirripeg,  a  larrapeg, 

A  bee,  a  nail,  a  stone,  a  stack, 

A  bonny  Billie  Gelpie, 

A  Belia-bug,  a  warum  rock, 

Crib-i-stery,  Hick ! 

According  to  the  New  York  Sun,  Mr.  Bolton  says  that 
the  little  Turks  and  Armenians  used  this  count: 

Allern,  Bellem,  chirozi, 
Chirmirozi,  fotozi, 


Counting  Out  Rhymes  261 


Fotoz,  gider  magara, 
Magarada  tilki  bash, 
Pilki  beni  korkootdi, 
Aallede  shooullede  Edirnede, 
Divid  bashi 
Ben  Olayen  kehad  bashi, 

and  we  suppose  that  if  the  counter  does  not  fall  ill  after  the 
first  count  or  lose  control  altogether  of  his  tongue  from  the 
hard  knots  that  he  has  tied  in  it,  he  continues  his  "  Allem, 
Bellem,  Chirozi "  until  all  the  "  bashi "  have  gone  free,  leav- 
ing some  little  red-capped  Mahomedan  or  Armenian  as  "  It." 
The  Turkish  jingle  is  all  about  ghosts  in  a  cave  and 
foxes'  heads  and  other  queer  things,  with  about  as  much 
sense  in  them  as  the  English  and  American  boys  have  in 
their  rhymes.  The  Bulgarians  have  one  about  a  strange 
sort  of  frog  that  jumps  screaming  from  fence  to  fence,  and  a 
little  white  bone.  The  polite  little  French  boy,  as  he  bows 
to  his  companions,  counts  out  in  this  fashion : 

Un,  deux,  trois,  One,  two,  three, 

Tu  ne  Test  pas  ;  Thou  art  not  "  it  " ; 

Quatre,  cinq,  six,  Four,  five,  six, 

Va-t'en  d'ici !  Go  away  from  here ! 

The  sturdy  little  Dutchman,  in  his  wooden  shoes,  counts 
out  too : 

Een,  twee,  een  kopje  thee ; 
Een,  klontje  er  bij, 
Af  ben  jij ! 

While  the  North   German  boy  has  evidently  taken  his 
rhyme  from  the  same  source  we  get  ours  from,  for  he  says : 

Ene,  tene,  mone,  mei, 
Paster,  lone,  bone  strei. 
Ene,  fune,  herke,  berke, 
Wer  ?  Wie  ?  Wo  ?  Was  ? 


262  Summer 


A  verse  from  India  that  Mr.  Bolton  gives  also  has  a 
familiar  sound  in  it : 

Ha,  hoo,  too, 

Pooska,  bramina  padala  stoo  ! 

Antiquity  of  the  Rhymes. 

Where  the  ancestors  of  our  present  crop  of  young  peo- 
ple found  these  verses  is  a  question  that  has  troubled  many 
a  wise  old  head,  but  there  seems  to  be  little  doubt  that  the 
verses  which  our  boys  use  for  play  served  a  far  more 
serious  purpose  for  our  ancestors.  It  is  claimed  that  in 
ancient  Britain,  when  the  wild-eyed  Druid  priests  ruled  the 
people,  and  built  funny  sorts  of  play-houses  with  stones  set 
up  on  end,  the  priests  used  to  sacrifice  human  beings  in 
their  mummeries,  and  in 

Ena,  mena,  mina,  mite, 
Pasca,  laura,  bona,  bite, 
Eggs,  butter,  cheese,  bread, 
Stick,  stack,  stone,  dead ! 

the  first  two  lines  are  the  identical  words  the  old  priest 
sang  when  the  victims  who  had  been  fattened  on  "  eggs, 
butter,  cheese,  and  bread,"  were  being  killed  with  "  sticks, 
stacks,  and  stones." 

Possibly  some,  if  not  all,  of  these  jingles  were  originally 
incantations  used  by  the  old  humbugs  who  pretended  to 
practise  magic,  often  fooling  themselves  as  well  as  the  poor, 
ignorant,  awe-stricken,  common  people  by  their  rites. 
"  One-ry,  two-ry,  ickery,  Ann  "  is  thought  to  be  a  gypsy 
magic  spell.  There  is  small  doubt  that  you,  my  readers, 
are  all  unconsciously  making  fun  of  your  poor,  ignorant, 
old  forefathers  every  time  you  count  out  to  find  who  is  "  It." 

And  "It" — what  did  that  mean?    Well,  we  will  not 


Counting  Out  Rhymes  263 

make  too  many  guesses  into  the  mysterious  rites  that  the 
people  once  thought  to  be  religion ;  but  we  will  let  "  It " 
go,  as  the  boys  understand  it  to  be — the  most  undesirable 
part  of  the  game  that  is  to  be  played;  and,  whether  the 
reader  is  "  It "  in  the  boyish  game  of  "  I  spy,"  or  in 
the  great  game  of  life,  the  author  feels  certain  that  his 
reader  will  play  his  part  with  that  cheerful,  manly  spirit 
that  makes  a  good  play-fellow  and  a  desirable  citizen. 

George  Washington  was  "  It "  for  the  Revolution. 
Abraham  Lincoln  and  General  Grant  played  "  It "  in  the 
last  war ;  and  in  both  cases  it  was  the  nation  that  counted 
out  to  the  end  that  all  should  "  go  free." 


FIG.  242.— The  American  Boy's  Wooden  Swimming  Master. 

Bow-line-knot 


Fig.  243  Shows  the 


CHAPTER  XXIII 
IN  THE  WATER 

How  to  Swim— A  Wooden  "  Swimming  Master  "—Suspension  Bridge, 
Chump's  Raft,  and  Tub  Races. 

EVERY  boy's  book,  with  the  exception  of  the  "  American 
Boy's  Handy  Book,"  has  a  chapter  telling  boys  how  to 
learn  to  swim.  This  was  left  out  of  the  "  Handy  Book  " 
because  the  author  believed  no  boy  could  learn  to  propel 
himself  in  the  water  while  sitting  in  the  house  reading 
about  it.  Such  a  chapter  appeared  to  him  very  much  like 
the  old  bit  of  advice  to  "  hang  your  clothes  on  a  hickory 
limb,  but  don't  go  near  the  water." 

Still  there  are   many  practical  hints  that  will  not   be 


In  the  Water  265 


amiss  to  those  who  are  already  good  swimmers,  and 
who  are  good-natured  enough  to  devote  some  of  their 
time  to  their  more  backward  or  less  fortunate  companions. 
There  are  thousands  and  thousands  of  boys  in  this  vast 
country  who  have  never  seen  big  rivers,  like  the  Ohio  and 
Mississippi,  or  beheld  the  broad  ocean,  with  its  white 
sandy  beach  and  small  quiet  bays,  or  the  great  blue  lakes, 
and  whose  only  chance  to  swim  is  in  the  deep  holes  of  some 
small  stream,  a  mill-pond,  or  small  lake. 

Beginners  are  just  as  liable  to  meet  with  serious  acci- 
dents in  such  places  as  in  the  large  rivers  or  the  salt  sea. 
For  it  must  be  remembered  it  is  not  the  width  of  the  water, 
but  its  depth,  that  troubles  a  beginner.  Fig.  242  shows  a 
simple  contrivance  that  will  make  it  absolutely  safe  for  any 
lad  who  cannot  swim  to  go  "  over  his  head,"  as  the  boys  call 
it  when  they  enter  deep  water. 

It  will  require  work  to  make  one  of  these  swimming 
masters ;  but  the  machine,  of  any  use,  is  yet  to  be  invented 
that  does  not  need  work  to  build,  and  there  is  nothing  in 
the  construction  of  a  "  swimming  master  "  that  a  crowd  of 
boys  could  not  accomplish  in  a  few  hours. 

How  to  Build  a  Swimming  Master. 

Dig  a  hole  about  three  feet  deep  on  the  brink  of  the 
swimming  pool.  Plant  in  this  a  good  stout  post,  six  or 
seven  feet  long,  and  see  that  the  earth  is  packed  solidly 
around  the  post,  so  that  it  will  stand  firm  and  immovable. 
This  is  called  the  "  ducking  post"  (Fig.  244).  Next  select 
a  long  pole  for  the  sweep,  the  length  of  which  will  depend 
upon  the  extent  of  the  swimming  hole.  With  an  auger* 

*  In  case  you  have  no  auger  get  a  piece  of  iron  rod  of  some  sort,  heat  it  red 
hot,  and  burn  the  holes,  or  use  a  chisel  and  cut  square  holes. 


266 


Summer 


bore  a  hole  in  the  top  of  the  post  and 'a  trifle  larger  one 
through  the  sweep,  at  such  a  distance  from  the  butt,  or 
big  end,  of  the  latter,  as  will  allow  the  small  end  to  reach 

well  out  over  the  deep  water  (Fig. 
245). 

The  principle  of  this  machine 
is  a  very  old  one  :  it  is  the  model 
of  a  well-sweep  of  ancient  times. 
Even  to-day  a  few  such  sweeps 
may  be  seen  in  old-fashioned 
farm-yards. 

Make  a  good  long  hickory  or 
ash  peg  with  a  groove  in  the  end 
that  enters  the  stump.  The  peg 
must  be  large  enough  to  fit  tightly 
in  the  post.  Pour  some  water  in 
the  post-hole  and  drive  the  peg 
home.  The  groove  will  allow  the 
water  to  escape  and  the  water  will  make  the  wood  swell  and 
hold  the  peg  tightly  in  place. 

To  the  end  of  the  sweep  lash  a  good  strong  rope,  start- 
ing with  a  clove  hitch  (see  Index)  and  binding  the  rope 
around  the  sweep.  In  this  case,  however,  you  allow  one 
end  to  hang  down  in  place  of  cutting  it  off.  Place  the 
sweep  on  the  ducking  post  so  that  the  ash  peg  holds  it  in 
place.  At  the  butt  end  of  the  sweep  nail  some  boards  in 
the  form  of  a  rude  box  (Fig.  242). 


FIG.  244. — Post  for  the  Wooden 
Swimming  Master. 


FlG.  345.— Sweep  for  Wooden  Swimming  Master. 


In  the  Water  267 


At  this  point  let 

One  of  the  Good  Swimmers 

strip  and  swim  out  to  the  hanging  end  of  the  rope,  fasten  it 
into  a  loop  with  a  bowline  knot  which  will  not  slip  (see 
Fig.  230).  Before  drawing  the  knot  tight  he  should  slip 
the  loop  over  his  head  and  under  his  arms,  making  the  rope 
of  sufficient  length  for  the  weight  of  his  body  suspended  in 
the  water  to  lift  the  butt  of  the  sweep  a  couple  of  feet  clear 
of  the  ground. 

While  the  swimmer  occupies  this  position  the  other 
boys  must  load  up  the  box  at  the  end  of  the  sweep  with 
stones  or  any  heavy  material  they  may  have,  until  the 
weight  of  the  swimmer  and  the  weight  of  stones  make  an 
even  balance. 

Ready  for  the  Novice. 

When  this  is  done  and  all  the  good  swimmers  have 
tested  it,  the  small  end  of  the  sweep  may  be  swung  around 
and  the  novice  may  slip  the  noose  over  his  head  and  under 
his  arms  and  bravely  push  out  into  deep  water.  Here  he 
can  flounder  and  splash  after  the  manner  of  all  beginners 
until  he  is  tired,  or  until  he  learns  the  trick  of  propelling 
himself  through  the  water  and  of  keeping  his  head  above  it. 

Should  the  novice  be  stricken  with  a  panic  and  try  to 
climb  the  rope,  the  weight  of  his  body  when  lifted  out  of 
the  water  will  bring  the  end  of  the  pole  down  and  he  will 
still  have  only  his  head  above  water.  But  should  he  be  one 
of  the  rattle-brained  boys,  a  boy  whose  mind  is  like  a  badly 
trained  dog  that  refuses  to  obey  its  master  in  times  of  emer- 
gency, he  must  not  be  allowed  to  work  himself  into  a  state 
of  panic,  for  he  can  drown  even  while  the  "swimming  mas- 
ter's "  rope  is  around  him.  Such  a  lad  needs  watching,  but 


268  Summer 


most  of  all  he  needs  just  this  sort  of  training  to  give  him 
command  over  himself. 

In  Case  of  Fright. 

When  a  beginner  is  seized  with  fright  one  of  his  com- 
rades must  rest  his  weight  on  the  stone  box  and  slowly  swing 
the  novice  in  shore  and  allow  him  to  regain  nis  composure 
at  leisure. 

Never  try  to  frighten  a  timid  boy ;  it  is  not  only  cruel, 
but  you  may  spoil  the  "  makings  "  of  a  good  fellow.  Some 
of  the  bravest  soldiers  the  world  ever  knew  were  badly 
frightened  at  their  first  battle,  and,  no  doubt,  many  an  ex- 
pert  swimmer  and  noted  life-saver  was  seized  with  terror 
when  first  he  found  himself  in  deep  water.  A  boy  who, 
because  he  knows  how  to  swim  himself,  will  try  to  duck  or 
terrify  a  beginner  has  no  business  to  associate  with  good 
fellows  and  should  be  avoided  by  them. 

Hints  for  the  Beginner. 

It  is  best  not  to  try  to  swim  immediately  on  swinging 
out  into  the  deep  water.  Allow  your  legs  to  sink  if  they 
will  and  your  arms  to  hang  idly  down — the  rope  will  keep 
your  head  above  water.  In  this  pose  loll  around  awhile 
until  you  become  accustomed  to  your  surroundings  and 
gain  confidence  in  the  sturdy  wooden  "  swimming  master  " 
who  holds  you.  This  is  of  vital  importance,  for  without 
confidence  in  your  ability  to  keep  your  head  above  water 
you  can  never  learn  to  swim.  Even  if  you  put  in  two  or 
three  days  in  floating  around  it  will  not  be  time  lost,  and 
when  you  begin  to  experiment  with  kicking  and  striking 
out  with  your  hands  and  arms  you  will  learn  the  more 
readily  because  you  are  not  retarded  by  the  fear  that  per- 
haps your  head  may  go  under  water  for  a  moment.  What 


In  the  Water 


269 


if  it  does?  You  will  come  up  smiling  in  place  of  gasping  or 
shouting  for  help. 

The  Frog 

is  a  good  swimming  teacher,  but  he  has  the  advantage  of  us 
in  possessing  a  pointed  head,  with  bulging  eyes  on  top,  so 
that  it  is   not   neces- 
sary for  him  to  throw 
his  head  back  to  see. 
And,   as    for  breath- 


FIG.  046. 


FIG.  247. 


FIG.  248. 


ing,  one  breath  every 
ten  minutes  answers 
his  purpose.  The  frog 
does  not  use  his  arms 
in  swimming,  as  is 
commonly  supposed ; 
he  holds  them  close 
to  his  sides,  and  swims 
by  kicking  his  long 
legs  and  dispropor- 
tionately long  feet. 

If  you  watch  a  frog 
swimming  you  will 
see  that  he  draws  his 
knees  up  on  each  side 
of  him,  as  shown  in 
Fig.  246,  and  then 
pushes  them  back  as 
if  he  were  pushing 
something  away  from 
him  (Fig.  247).  And, 
indeed,  that  is  just 
what  he  is  doing,  for  he  is  pushing  the  water  back.  At  the 
end  of  the  stroke  his  legs  are  straight  and  close  together, 


The  Beginning  and  End  of  a  Kick. 


270  Summer 


his  toes  pointed  down  and  heels  up  (Fig.  248).  In  this 
position  he  shoots  a  long  distance  through  the  water  be- 
fore he  again  draws  up  his  legs  for  another  stroke. 


Kicking. 

After  you   have  gained   confidence   in    your  support, 
practise    the  frog's  kick.      Never  mind    your  arms;    it  is 
possible  to  swim  without  them,  as  the  frog  has  shown  us. 
Do  not  draw  your  knees  up  under  you,  but  spread  your 
legs   apart  like  a  dancing-jack  (Fig.  249) 
with   your  knees  on  each  side.     This,  as 
has  been  shown,  is  the  bull-frog's  style.  He 
knows  his  business  and  will  take  no  points 
from  us,  though  we  may  with  advantage 
take  some  from   him.     In  kicking,  strike 
the  soles  of  your  feet  against  the  water 
as  you  would  against  the  foot-board,  were 
you  lying  face  downward  on   your  bed, 

FIG.  249. -Dancing-     and>  like  the   fro£>  Push  tne  water  from 
jack  Showing  the     you.     Finish  the  kick  with  the  feet  wide 

Position    of    Legs      J 

for  Swimming.  apart,  then  bring  your  legs  close  together, 
extending  them  in  a  straight  line.  At  this 
point  your  toes  must  be  turned  down  and  your  heels  raised 
as  far  as  possible,  to  lessen  the  resistance  as  you  glide 
through  the  water.  And  glide  you  will,  if  the  peg  in 
the  ducking-post  is  well  greased  and  the  kick  properly 
made. 

Do  not  be  in  a  hurry  to  make  the  next  kick.  There  is 
time  enough  to  do  that  when  the  impulse  forward  that  the 
first  kick  gave  is  dying  out.  Many  old  swimmers  make 
the  mistake  of  hurrying  their  kick  and  thus  losing  speed 
while  making  double  the  exertion  necessary. 


In  the  IVater  271 


The  Breast  Stroke. 

Gus  Sundstrom,  the  champion  long-distance  swimmer 
and  swimming  master  at  the  New  York  Athletic  Club,  in  an 
article  published  ten  years  ago  in  the  Harper's  Young  People, 
states  that  "  this  is  the  stroke  that  frogs  use  and  always 
have  used."  Well,  we  will  go  to  Gus  to  learn  to  swim,  for 
he  is  a  past  grand  master  of  the  art.  But  we  prefer  to 
watch  a  frog  ourselves,  and  by  so  doing  we  shall  see  that 
he  does  not  use  his  little  short  arms,  or  his  funny  hands, 
with  no  web  between  the  fingers.  As  already  stated,  he 
depends  entirely  upon  his  long  muscular  legs  and  big 
webbed  feet  to  propel  him  through  the  water.  So,  in  place 
of  going  to  Mr.  Frog  for  the  breast  stroke,  we  prefer  to  go 
to  Gus,  for  he  has  no  webbed  feet  and  does  depend  upon 
his  hands  and  arms  to  help  propel  himself. 

He  says  that  when  you  strike  out  you  must  "hold  your 
fingers  close  together."  Perhaps  one  of  the  principal  uses 
of  man's  hands  in  the  water  is  keeping  his  head  up,  so  that 
he  may  breathe,  and  that  is  why  he  makes  the  stroke  a 
little  downward,  for  by  pressing  on  the  water  he  lifts  his 
head. 

How  to  Make  the  Breast  Stroke. 

Bring  your  hands  together  under  your  chin  with  the 
palms  down,  fingers  straight,  close  together,  and  pointing 
in  the  direction  you  are  about  to  move.  Next  shove  the 
two  hands  straight  out  in  front  of  you,  keeping  your 
thumbs  touching.  As  your  hands  are  pushed  forward  kick 
backward  with  your  legs,  as  previously  described.  When 
the  knees  are  straight  the  legs  will  be  spread  wide  apart 
(see  dotted  lines  above  Fig.  248).  Bring  them  together 
and,  if  you  time  this  properly,  your  position  will  now  be 
that  of  an  arrow,  the  point  being  your  extended  hands. 


272  Summer 


In  this  pose  you  will  shoot  through  the  water  some  dis- 
tance, and  not  until  your  speed  begins  to  slacken  per- 
ceptibly must  you  sweep  your  hands  to  the  right  and  to 
the  left  with  the  palms  slightly  hollowed,  and  bearing  down 
hard  enough  to  force  the  head  sufficiently  above  the  water 
for  you  to  breathe  through  your  nose  without  taking  in 
water.  When  your  stroke  is  finished,  bring  the  hands  back 
to  the  same  po- 
sition they  first 
occupied  under 


fVi«  ^V,;v»  FIG.  250.— End  of  Sweep  (Wooden  Swim- 

ming Master),  Grape  Vine  Cable. 

Practise  this 

stroke  without  the  kick,  if  the  latter  bothers 
you,  until  you  learn  it.  Then  practise  the  two 
together,  and  when  you  succeed  in  doing  this 
you  will  be  surprised  to  find  that  you  can  get 
along  better  without  the  aid  of  the  old  wooden 
"  swimming  master  "  than  with  it. 

Do  not  abandon  your  friendly  rope,  how- 
ever,  until  you  have  gone  back  and  forth  in  the 
semicircle  it  describes  a  sufficient  number  of  times  to  as- 
sure  yourself  that  its  support  is  no  longer  needed. 

The  Grape-Vine  Cable. 

If  it  should  so  happen  that  the  rope  is  the  most  difficult 
thing  to  procure,  a  wild  grape-vine  will  answer  your  pur- 
pose, and  it  may  be  nailed  securely  to  the  end  of  the  sweep 
as  in  Fig.  250,  and  the  loop  made  by  lashing  the  end  to  the 
vine,  as  shown  in  Fig.  250. 

The  Suspension  Bridge. 

Make  two  pairs  of  shears  by  binding  two  stoujt  poles 
together,  as  shown  in  Fig.  251,  for  each  pair.  Set  th£  shears 


In  the  Water 


273 


on  each  bank,  and  use  a  good 
strong  rope  or  wild  grape- 
vine for  a  cable.  Fasten  the 
cables  to  a  tree,  stump,  or 
some  other  unyielding  object 
on  each  bank.  If  it  is  a  rope, 
fasten  with  a  lark's  head,  as 
shown  in  Fig.  252.  If  you 
use  grape-vine,  wrap  once 
around  the  tree  and  nail  it 
there.  Erect  the  shears  un- 
der it  on  each  bank,  and  the 
suspension  bridge  will  be 
found  firm  and  strong. 

Short    lines,    which    will 
reach  the  water,  must  be  fas-    FlG-  251.— shears  for  Sus 

for  Swimming  T 


sion  Bridge 


FlG.  252. — Diagram  Showing  the   Suspension  Bridge  and  Cross  Section  of  Ground 

and  Water. 

18 


274 


Summer 


tened  at  brief  intervals  to  the  cable,  before  it  is  swung  across 
the  stream ;  little  wooden  handles  tied  to  the  ends  of  the  lines 
will  add  to  the  security  of  the  bather.  With  this  contriv- 
ance beginners  may  enjoy  themselves  even  in  deep  water, 
crossing  and  recrossing  the'  hole  with  no  danger,  for  so 
long  as  the  bather  holds  one  of  these  handles  he  is  sup^ 
ported  by  the  cable  above,  and  by  kicking  and  paddling  he 
can  reach  another  life-line  before  he  lets  go  the  last.  An* 
other  aid  to  the  novice,  and  a  very  useful  thing  to  the 
swimmers,  when  they  are  sky-larking  in  the  water,  is 

The  Chump's  Raft. 

Its  construction  is  simple.  Four  boards,  each  about  six 
feet  long,  are  nailed  together  in  the  form  of  a  square,  with 


n 


u    u 


FIG.  253.— The  Chump's  Raft. 


the  ends  of  the  boards  protruding,  like  the  figure  drawn 
upon  a  school-boy's  slate  for  the  game  of  "  Tit,  tat,  toe." 

All  nail-points  must  be  knocked  off  and  the  heads  ham- 
mered home,  to  prevent  serious  scratches  and  wounds  on 


In  the  Water 


275 


the  bather's  body  when  he  clambers  over  the  raft  or  slips 
off  in  an  attempt  to  do  so. 

Beginners  get  in  the  middle  hole,  and  there,  with  a  sup- 
port within  reach  all  around  them,  they  can  venture  with 
comparative  safety  in  deep  water. 


FIG.  254. — A  Beginner  in  a  Chump's  Raft. 

Water  Bladder. 

While  inflated  bladders  can  and  are  often  used  by  boys 
learning  to  swim,  in  the  game  of  Water  Bladder  they  are 
used  for  an  entirely  different  purpose.  Water  Bladder  is  a 
game,  and  all  the  players  must  be  perfectly  at  home  in  the 
water, because  the  "field"  is  all  "overhead."  In  some  deep 
pool  or  hole  erect  two  goals  after  the  manner  of  those  used 
in  football.  But  in  this  game  have  the  cross  rods  only  a 
foot  or  two  above  the  water. 


276  Summer 


Divide  the  party  into  two  sides  and  take  your  positions 
as  in  an  old-fashioned  game  of  football.  At  the  word 
"  Ready,"  the  umpire,  who  is  on  the  shore  or  at  some  con- 
venient  point,  throws  an  inflated  bladder  between  the  oppos- 
ing* sides.  The  object  of  the  players  is  to  send  the  bladder 
over  the  enemy's  goal,  and  the  rules  are  very  simple.  It  is 
foul  to  interfere  with  an  opponent  by  putting  your  hands  on 
him,  it  is  foul  to  use  more  than  one  hand  in  handling  the 
bladder,  but  you  may  swim  in  front  of  a  man,  dive  under 
him,  in  fact,  "  interfere  "  in  every  way  you  can.  Each  goal 
counts  one  point,  and  five  points  make  a  game. 

A  similar  game  is  played  in  the  swimming  tanks  of  the 
big  athletic  clubs  in  New  York,  and  is  called  Water  Polo. 
In  place  of  an  inflated  bladder  these  full-grown  boys  use 
an  india-rubber  ball. 

Tub  Races. 

One  might  suppose  that  this  would  come  under  the 
head  of  boating,  but  one  would  be  mistaken,  for  it  prop- 
erly belongs  to  swimming,  as  any  one  who  has  witnessed 
or  taken  part  in  such  a  race  will  tell  you. 

Each  contestant  supplies  himself  with  an  ordinary  wash- 
tub.  At  the  word  "  Go ! "  he  places  it  in  the  water,  climbs  in 
as  best  he  can,  and  paddles  with  his  hands  for  the  taw  line. 

In  most  of  the  races  the  writer  has  taken  part  in  the 
winner  was  the  most  deliberate  and  slowest  moving  fellow 
of  the  lot.  He  took  more  time  to  get  into  his  tub,  took 
more  time  to  balance  himself  properly,  but  at  last,  when 
more  than  half  the  other  tubs  were  upside  down  and  their 
late  occupants  floundering  in  the  water,  this  methodical, 
cool-headed  racer,  with  his  legs  hanging  in  the  water,  the 
tub  listed  slightly  forward,  began  with  deliberation  to  pad- 
dle with  his  hands ;  and  usually,  before  he  reached  the  taw 


In  the  IVater 


277 


line  he  had  the  satisfaction  of  knowing  that  he  was  the  only 
racer  who  still  occupied  a  tub. 

Sometimes  another  would  pursue  the  same  tactics. 
Then  the  fun  was  at  the  finish,  for  here  both  would  risk 
sinking  in  their  efforts  to  come  in  ahead.  There  is  possibly 
no  water  sport  more  enjoyable  to  all  concerned  and  pro- 
voking more  laughter  and  excitement  than  a  well-con- 
ducted  tub  race. 

Springing  Boards. 

Upon  all  those  rivers  where  the  big  lumber  rafts  come 
down  and  are  moored  to  the  banks,  the  boys  not  only  have 


FIG.  255. — Springing  Board. 

excellent  floats  to  swim  from,  but  the  material  is  always  at 
hand  for  a  good  springing  board,  from  which  they  can  try 
any  circus  trick  that  suits  their  fancy.  For  when  they  fail 
the  worst  that  can  happen  is  the  smart  slap  of  the  water  as 
they  strike  it  on  their  backs  or  sides,  and  the  hearty  laugh 
of  the  lookers-on. 

There  are  few  better  devices  for  developing  and  at  the 
same  time  keeping  supple  the  growing  muscles  of  a  boy 
than  a  good  springing  board.  At  the  sea-shore,  at  boat- 


278  Summer 


club  houses  and  places  of  resort  they  are  supplied  by  the 
proprietors  of  the  clubs  and  hotels,  and  are  made  by  carpen- 
ters. But  when  you  are  inland  and  in  the  country,  that  is 
the  very  time  you  long  for  one  and  the  very  time  there  are 
none  on  hand.  All  you  need  to  make  a  springing  board  is 
a  good  elastic  plank,  and  that  is  seldom  a  difficult  thing  to 
borrow  or  buy. 

How  to  Set  up  a  Springing  Board. 

Place  the  plank  on  the  edge  of  your  swimming  pool, 
and  under  it  a  box,  log,  stone,  or  any  other  object  strong 
enough  for  a  rest.  Now  if  two  or  three  lads  will  stand  on 
the  shore  end,  another  boy  can  spring  from  the  other  end 
into  the  water.  This  is  a  very  rude  plan,  but  often  the 
time  is  too  limited  to  waste  in  work,  and  all  are  desirous 
of  a  swim,  and  a  rude  springing  board  is  better  than  none. 
When  you  have  time  at  your  disposal  you  may  fasten  the 
shore  end  securely  to  a  board  and  nail  the  board  fast 
to  a  log,  beam,  or  other  like  object,  or  drive  a  number  of 
stakes  deeply  into  the  ground  with  their  heads  flush  with 
the  earth  and  nail  the  board  to  the  heads  of  the  stakes. 
(See  Fig.  255.) 

Back  Somersaults. 

In  attempting  a  back  somersault  from  a  springing  board 
there  is  always  danger  of  coming  down  in  the  exact  spot 
you  spring  from,  and  striking  the  board,  with  more  or  less 
serious  results.  To  avoid  this  push  yourself  away  with 
your  feet  as  you  leave  the  board  and  there  will  be  no 
danger. 

Never  enter  the  water  when  you  feel  exhausted  or 
shortly  after  eating  a  meal.  You  will  derive  no  pleasure 
from  it  and  it  is  injurious. 


CHAPTER  XXIV 
GAMES  OF  TAG 

Origin  of  this  Sport — King's  X — Last  Tag — Iron  Tag— Cross  Tag — Old 
Bloody  Tom— Black  Man— Prisoner's  Base  and  Other  Variations. 

WHEN  you  observe  one  kitten  hiding  behind  a  tree  or 
other  object,  and  another  creeping  cautiously  around  in 
search  of  its  playmate,  you  see  the  original  and  primitive 
game  of  "  I  Spy  "  as  it  was  played  long  before  there  were 
any  boys  to  enjoy  the  game.  Some  ancestors  of  our  kit- 
tens invented  "  I  Spy,"  some  ancestors  of  our  puppies 
invented  "  Tag,"  and  some  common  ancestors  of  four-legged 
animals  invented  "  Racing."  All  that  the  boys  have  done 
is  to  take  these  games  as  played  by  young  quadrupeds  and 
make  fixed  rules  to  govern  them;  and  from  these  three 
simple  sports  almost  all  of  the  out-door  games  that  boys 
play  have  been  evolved. 

Home. 

There  must  be  a  place  of  refuge  for  every  one.  The 
wild  beasts  have  their  dens  in  the  heart  of  the  jungle, 
where  they  can  retire  in  safety ;  wild  men  have  their  secret 
hiding-places  in  the  mountains  or  forests;  the  old  pirates 
had  their  islands,  surrounded  by  shoals  and  rocks  that 
would  pierce  the  hull  of  any  vessel  attempting  to  land 
without  a  pilot;  and  civilized  man  has  his  home,  which  is 
sacred  from  the  invasion  of  friend  or  foe,  a  place  to  which 
he  need  admit  no  man. 


280 


Summer 


In  all  games  there  must  be  some  such  spot  where  the 
players  are  safe  for  the  time,  where  neither  the  Wolf  with 


FIG.  356.— A  Typical  Plan  of  Various  Games  of  Tag. 

a  Brown  Ear,  the  Woolly  Wolly  Wolf,  The  Black  Man, 
Old  Bloody  Tom,  or  "  It "  can  catch  him.  This  place  is 
called  goal,  taw,  den,  base,  or  home- 


Games  of  Tag 


281 


King's  X. 

Away  back  in  those  times  that  are  so  dry  to  study  about 
in  our  school  histories  and  so  intensely  interesting  to  read 
of  in  "  Ivanhoe,"  "  The  Hunchback  of  Notre  Dame,"  and 
"  The  Black  Arrow,"  King's  X  had 
its  origin. 

Everything  was  queer  in  those 
days.  Men  like  Robin  Hood  really 
lived  outside  of  the  pages  of  a  story- 
book. Foot-ball,  golf,  and  other 
popular  games  were  forbidden  be- 
cause they  might  take  time  that 
otherwise  would  be  devoted  to 
archery,  and  the  law  in  England 
compelled  small  boys  to  practise 
a  certain  number  of  hours  each 
year  with  the  long  bow. 

Men  on  the  streets  dressed  like 
the  clowns  in  Barnum's  circus,  and 
blacksmiths  did  a  tailoring  busi- 
ness ;  for  gentlemen  wore  iron 
clothes  and  heavy  iron  pots  for 
hats,  even  under  a  broiling  hot 

,  .,  ,1  FIG.  257.—  King's  X. 

summer  s  sun,  because  it  was  the 

style.  The  horses  these  iron-clothed  men  rode  were  re- 
splendent  in  gorgeous  crazy-quilt  coverings  which  reached 
to  their  heels. 

It  is  strange  how  dull  a  historian  can  make  these  inter- 
esting old  times,  when  farmers  who  worked  in  the  fields 
wore  only  a  shirt  to  cover  their  nakedness,  and  barefooted 
priests  with  shaved  heads  trod  the  highways  ;  when  there 


282  Summer 


were  no  railroads,  no  steam-engines,  and  no  telegraphs, 
kerosene  lamps,  gas,  or  electric  lights. 

It  was  then  that  everybody,  from  the  beggar  to  the  king, 
ate  with  his  fingers ;  but  nobody  smoked,  because  they  had 
no  tobacco.  Without  tobacco  they  got  along  very  well, 
but  how  did  they  manage  to  make  a  meal  without  sugar, 
tea,  coffee,  potatoes,  corn,  or  turkeys  ?  The  streets  were 
never  cleaned,  watered,  or  lighted,  and  every  house  of  any 
pretensions  was  a  fort  and  the  people  all  knew  how  to  fight. 
There  was  among  them  a  dim  idea  of  fair  play,  and  con- 
scious of  the  fact  that  the  courts  were  seldom  just,  they 
provided  sanctuaries  or  places  of  refuge  where  the  poor 
persecuted  people  might  fly  and  be  safe  from  the  law  and 
their  neighbors.  These  sanctuaries  were  sometimes  in  the 
monasteries  or  churches,  and  sometimes  in  the  King's 
house. 

All  that  remains  of  this  quaint  old  custom  of  our  funny 
old  ancestors  is  preserved  by  the  boys  in  their  games,  and 
they  call  it  "  King's  Cross,"  "  King's  X,"  or  "  King's  Ex- 
cuse,"  and  cross  their  first  and  second  fingers  to  proclaim  a 
truce.  Here  we  have  a  combination  of  the  king  and  the 
church  that  insures  the  safety  of  the  player. 

Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  out-door  games  are  largely 
provided  with  retreats  in  the  form  of  goals,  homes,  taws,  or 
dens,  it  is  often  convenient  to  have  some  other  safeguard 
to  protect  the  player  from  "  It ; "  this  is  supplied  by  the 
crossed  fingers  and  the  cry  of  "  King's  Ex  !  "  As  long  as 
the  boy  giving  this  cry  keeps  his  fingers  crossed  he  is  safe, 
for  to  "  It,"  the  sign  of  the  cross  is  sacred. 

King's  X  is  used  only  in  times  of  accident  or  emergen- 
cy, for  instance  when  a  player's  shoelace  becomes  untied, 
or  when  he  is  disputing  some  point  in  the  game.  Then 
he  cries  "  King's  Ex  until  I  fasten  my  shoestring ! "  or 


Games  of  Tag  283 


"  King's  Ex  until  we  settle  this,"  and  the  truce  lasts  until 
the  shoestring  is  tied  or  the  disputed  point  decided.  Often 
boys  of  weak  character  will  give  the  cry  and  cross  their 
fingers  to  save  themselves  from  being  caught.  This  is 
called  "  the  baby  act,"  to  show  the  contempt  with  which  all 
real  manly  boys  hold  a  comrade  who  will  seek  safety  under 
the  cross  because  his  legs  are  lazy. 

Last  Tag. 

As  a  crowd  of  boys  are  coming  out  of  school  one  of 
their  number  slaps  a  friend  on  the  back  and  cries  "  Last 
tag ! "  No  boy  with  any  spirit  will  allow  this  to  pass  un- 
noticed, for  that  would  be  against  the  ethics  of  a  school- 
boy. Immediately  upon  hearing  the  words  "  Last  tag  "  the 
boy  struck  darts  for  his  nearest  playmate  and  slaps  or 
touches  him,  crying  "  Last  tag  !  "  and  so  the  game  goes  on 
until  the  boys  are  tired. 

The  only  rules  of  the  game  are  these :  A  touch  is  a 
tag  and  the  boy  touched  last  is  "  It "  until  he  tags  some  one 
else  ;  and  he  cannot  tag  the  boy  who  has  just  tagged  him. 

Iron  Tag,  Wood  Tag,  Stone  Tag,  and  Cross  Tag. 

All  of  these  games  are  alike  in  their  simple  rules  and  un- 
like only  in  their  goals  or  homes.  In  Iron  Tag  no  player 
can  be  caught  so  long  as  he  has  a  hand  or  foot  touching 
iron  ;  in  Wood  and  Stone  Tag  it  is  the  touching  of  wood 
or  stone  with  hand  or  foot  that  brings  safety  from  "  It." 
In  other  respects  the  games  are  like  the  first  described 
games  of  tag. 

Cross  Tag. 

This  game  is  usually  played  on  the  ice  by  skaters,  but 
it  is  also  played  during  the  summer  on  the  streets  or  in  the 
fields.  "  It "  selects  a  victim  and  starts  after  him,  but 


284 


Summer 


whenever  another  player  crosses  between  "  It "  and  the 
boy  he  is  after,  "It"  chases  the  boy  who  crosses  his  path 
and  no  other  unless  another  boy  crosses  out  the  second. 


FIG.  258.— Cross  Tag.    Dotted  lines  show  where  a  boy  has  crossed  out  the  lad  "  It " 

is  after. 

Then  "  It "  again  changes  his  pursuit.  In  this  manner  the 
boys  continue  to  cross  each  other  out  until  "  It "  succeeds 
in  tagging  one  before  a  playmate  can  cross  between  him 
and  his  prey. 

Korungattam  or  Monkey  Tag. 

"  It"  is  a  hunter  who,  we  may  suppose,  wishes  to  supply 
some  hand-organ  men  with  monkeys.  At  any  rate  he  is 
a  monkey  hunter,  and  all  the  other  players  are  monkeys. 
There  must  be  as  many  trees,  stones,  or  bases  of  some  kind 


Games  of  Tag  285 


as  there  are  monkeys,  and  the  boys  to  act  their  part  must 
keep  in  constant  motion,  running  from  base  to  base  as  in 
the  game  of  Pussy  Wants  a  Corner,  while  the  hunter  uses 
his  best  endeavors  to  catch  them  between  their  bases. 

The  bases  are  supposed  to  represent  the  branches  of 
trees  and  are  called  branches.  No  two  monkeys  can  oc- 
cupy the  same  branch,  and  if  any  monkey  stands  still  for  an 
instant  and  the  hunter  catches  him  while  he  is  not  moving, 
that  monkey  is  "  It."  The  monkeys  endeavor  by  their  con- 
stant chatter  to  disconcert  the  hunter  and  tantalize  him 
with  the  oft-repeated  rhyme  of : 

"  Monkey,  monkey,  bottle  of  beer, 
You  can't  catch  a  monkey  here ! " 

Korungattam  is  said  to  be  the  East  Indian  name  for 
this  game,  which  is  played  by  the  boys  in  India  in  the  wide- 
spreading  branches  of  some  forest  tree,  each  little  Indian 
occupying  a  branch  of  the  tree.  Like  the  little  animals  they 
are  supposed  to  represent,  they  jump  from  branch  to  branch 
while  "  It,"  the  hunter,  tries  to  catch  them.  A  circle  is 
drawn  around  the  trunk  of  the  tree  and  all  the  monkeys  try 
to  drop  to  the  ground  inside  that  circle.  Any  one  putting 
a  foot  outside  the  ring  is  "  dead,"  any  one  ceasing  to  move 
is  dead,  any  one  touched  by  the  hunter  while  in  the  act  of 
climbing  or  jumping  from  limb  to  limb  is  dead,  and  the 
game  ceases  when  all  are  dead.  The  first  monkey  killed  is 
"  It,"  or  the  hunter  for  the  next  game. 

Old  Bloody  Tom,  Black  Tom,  or  "Pull  Away!" 

What  the  original  meaning  of  this  last  cry  was,  is  lost  in 
the  mist  that  veils  so  many  of  the  expressions  of  boys.  Old 
Bloody  Tom  and  Black  Tom  are  probably  names  for  an 
ogre,  while  "  It,"  no  doubt,  also  represents  one  of  these 


286  Summer 


monsters.  The  game,  under  any  of  its  names,  is  a  simple 
one.  "It"  stands  in  the  middle  of  the  street  while  the 
other  players  are  gathered  on  one  of  the  sidewalks  which 
form  the  two  homes.  "It"  cries:  "Pull  away  once!  Pull 
away  twice !  Pull  away  three  times !  " 

At  the  conclusion  of  the  last  cry  the  other  players  make 
a  rush  for  the  opposite  sidewalk,  while  "  It "  tries  to  tag 
them.  Each  boy  tagged  joins  "  It "  and  helps  him  tag 
the  others  until  all  are  caught.  The  first  player  caught  is 
"It"  for  the  next  game.  No  boy  Can  be  tagged  after  he 
has  crossed  the  home  curbstone  or  while  he  touches  it  with 
hand  or  foot,  unless  all  the  players  are  on  the  same  side 
of  the  street.  In  this  case  "  It "  may  tag  them  while  on 
home-grounds.  (See  Fig.  256.) 

In  some  places  "  It  "  cries  : 

"  One  for  the  money, 
Two  for  the  show, 
Three  to  make  ready, 
And  four  for  to  go ! " 

in  place  of  "  Pull  away,"  but  the  game  is  the  same,  and  is 
in  no  respect  different  from  the  following  game  of  "  Black 
Man,"  except  in  the  words  used  to  set  the  boys  running. 

"What  Are  You  Doing  in  My  Vineyard?"  or  Black  Man. 

"  What  are  you  doing  in  my  vineyard  ?  " 
"  Stealing  grapes  !  " 

"  What  will  you  do  when  the  black  man  comes?" 
"  Rush  right  through  like  we  always  do ! " 
This  is  the  whole  of  the  game  of  the  Black  Man.     Yet  I 
have  had  as  much  fun  playing  this  simple  game  as  any 
sport  of  my  boyhood  that  I  can  recall.     We  always  played 
it  at  dusk,  and  Black  Man  on  one  side  of  the  street  calls  out 


Games  of  Tag  287 


the  first  question.  The  boys  upon  the  opposite  side  give  the 
answer  as  above  ;  then  the  Black  Man  threateningly  asks 
what  the  boys  will  do  when  he  comes,  and  the  boys  bravely 
respond  with  the  boast  that  they  will  "  rush  right  through 
like  they  always  do,"  which,  strictly  speaking,  is  not  the 
truth,  because  it  often  happens  that  one  of  the  vineyard 
robbers  is  caught  half  way  by  the  Black  Man,  and  is  then 
compelled  to  give  up  his  pilfering  and  become  a  Black 
Man  himself  and  help  guard  the  vineyard.  (See  Fig. 
256.) 

So  the  game  goes  on  until  all  are  Black  Men.  Then  the 
boy  first  caught  is  "  It"  for  the  next  game.  The  rules  of  the 
game  are  simple.  The  two  curbs  form  the  home  lines  and 
the  sidewalk  is  home,  or  two  lines  are  drawn  for  home 
lines.  If  a  boy  is  on  this  goal,  that  is,  if  his  feet  are  on  the 
home  side  of  the  curb  or  line,  the  Black  Man  cannot  touch 
him,  but  between  the  goals  if  the  Black  Man  catches  him, 
the  boy  caught  joins  this  vineyard  guardian  in  chasing  his 
late  comrades.  (See  Fig.  256.) 

The  simplicity  of  this  last  game  you  will  find  upon  trial 
in  no  way  detracts  from  its  enjoyment,  but  on  the  contrary 
adds  zest  to  the  sport,  as  the  mind  being  unencumbered 
with  tiresome  rules  is  free  to  devote  its  whole  attention  to 
the  swiftness  of  the  heels. 

Prisoner's  Base. 

War  is  the  probable  origin  of  this  sport,  and  originally 
the  two  sides  faced  each  other,  but  it  was  found  that  while 
in  real  war  the  armies  oppose  each  other  in  two  lines  of 
battle,  this  is  not  necessary  for  the  game,  it  being  much 
easier  to  have  only  one  line  occupied  by  both  sides. 

Usually  in  town  the  curbstone  forms  the  boundary  and 
the  sidewalk  is  home.  The  boys  choose  up  for  side  and 


288  Summer 


then  select  two  trees  diagonally  opposite  home  for  the 
prison-pens,  called  the  bases,  one  for  each  army. 

The  game  begins  as  the  battles  did  of  old  by  the  leader 
of  one  army  stepping  out  in  the  field  and  daring  the  other 
captain  to  meet  him.  Any  player  of  one  army  can  tag  any 
one  of  his  opponents  who  has  left  home  before  he  did,  and 
all  players  tagged  must  go  to  the  prison-pen  of  their  cap- 
tors  and  remain  there  until  they  are  released  or  until  the 
game  is  finished. 

A  prisoner  can  only  be  released  by  one  of  his  own  side 
evading  the  other  soldiers,  reaching  the  base  and  touching 
the  prisoner  before  a  foe  tags  the  lad  attempting  the  rescue 
of  the  prisoner.  This  done  neither  can  be  molested  on  their 
way  back  home,  or  until  they  again  leave  the  curb  line. 

The  game  ends  when  all  of  one  side  have  been  made 
prisoners. 

The  Den  of  Wild  Beasts— A  Jungle  Game. 

There  is  no  "  It "  in  this  game  or  it  might  be  said  that 
all  are  "  It." 

Each  player  represents  some  wild  and  ferocious  animal, 
and  each  one  chooses  a  convenient  tree,  post,  or  stone  for 
his  particular  den.  All  then  make  a  terrible  noise,  the  lion 
roars,  the  panther  screams,  and  the  wolf  howls  as  a  signal 
for  the  game  to  commence. 

The  most  venturesome  and  alert  lad  leaves  his  den. 
Keeping  a  close  watch  upon  his  neighbors  he  dances  around 
to  entice  them  from  their  dens  and  soon  succeeds  in  draw- 
ing a  crowd  to  the  centre  of  the  field. 

The  fun  then  begins.  No  animal  can  be  captured  while 
at  its  own  den,  and  no  animal  can  be  captured  while  bring- 
ing home  a  captive.  Any  animal  which  leaves  its  den  last 
may  capture  any  one  of  those  already  in  the  field.  If  the 


Games  of  Tag  289 


lion  is  away  from  his  den  and  the  tiger  is  not,  the  tiger  may 
leave  his  den  and  give  chase  to  the  lion,  and  if  the  wolf 
from  his  den  sees  them,  he  may  give  chase  to  one  or  both. 
But  if  the  lion  in  the  meantime  touches  his  own  den  he 
may  start  out  in  pursuit  of  both  tiger  and  wolf. 

It  often  happens  that  all  the  animals  are  in  the  field  at 
the  same  time.  Captures  are  made  by  tags  or  touches  with 
the  hand.  The  animal  tagged  deserts  his  former  den  and 
joins  with  his  captor  in  pursuit  of  the  others.  Often  one 
den  will  contain  a  lot  of  animals,  and  a  few  moments  later  it 
will  be  cleaned  out  by  the  skill  and  dexterity  of  some  wolf, 
panther,  or  lynx.  The  game  ends  only  when  all  the  ani- 
mals are  collected  in  one  den  and  there  are  none  left  to 
capture. 

Dixie's  Land,  or  Yank  and  Johnny  Reb. 

This  is  a  relic  of  the  last  war,  and  evidently  the  grand- 
son of  the  old  game  of  Tom  Tiddler's  Land,  which, 
during  the  four  years  of  bloodshed  that  visited  this 
country,  was  modified  by  the  boys  to  fit  the  occasion.  Of 
course  it  was  a  simple  matter  to  change  Mr.  Thomas  Tid- 
dler's Land  into  Dixie's  Land.  That  change  once  made, 
the  popular  Southern  song  supplied  the  rest  of  the  verse. 

But  as  the  game  represents  both  the  Federal  and  Con- 
federate sides,  there  must  be  taunts  for  each,  more  or  less 
appropriate  to  the  occasion.  The  South  supplied  one  verse, 
the  North  supplied  another,  both  taken  from  old  war-time 
songs,  which  are  now  forgotten  by  most  of  those  who  sang 
them,  and,  with  perhaps  the  exception  of  the  few  lines  that 
are  used  in  the  boy's  game,  are  unknown  to  the  younger 
generation. 

As  in  Tom  Tiddler's  Land  a  section  of  the  playground 
is  marked  off  to  represent  the  land,  and  after  counting  out 
'9 


290 


Summer 


to  see  who  shall  be  "  It "  or  Johnny  Reb,  Johnny  takes  his 
place  on  his  land,  and  shouts : 

44  On  Dixie's  Land  I'll  take  my  stand, 
I'll  live  and  die  on  Dixie's  Land  ! " 

This  is  a  signal  for  hostilities,  and  all  the  little  "  Feds  " 
commence  to  invade  the  South.  Of  course  they  use  what 
taunts  they  can  to  excite  Johnny  Reb,  as 

44  Eighteen  hundred  and  sixty-one, 
That's  the  time  the  war  begun. 
Eighteen  hundred  and  sixty-three, 
Abe  Lincoln  set  the  niggers  free  ! 
Oh,  Johnny  Reb,  you  can't  catch  me." 

Now  if  Johnny  Reb  can   catch  and  hold  any  "  Fed  " 
while  on  Dixie's  Land  long  enough  to  repeat 
44  Any,  taney,  tother,  ted, 
Now  I've  caught  you  little  Fed !  " 

that  "  Fed  "  must  change  his  blue  coat  for  a  gray  one,  that 
is,  join  Johnny  Reb  in  his  efforts  to  capture  more  Union 
soldiers.  And  so  the  game  goes  on  until  all  are  caught, 
with  mutual  bantering  and  jingles,  historical  and  nonsensi- 
cal. The  following  comes  under  the  latter  heading : 
44  Skeedaddle,  vamose, 

Counterband  goose, 

Mason  and  Dixon's  line, 

I'll  catch  you  this  time!" 

To  which  they  reply : 

44  Jeff  wore  hoops !    Jeff  wore  a  dress ! 
Jeff  has  no  niggers  now, 

And, 

"  I'm  on  Dixie's  Land, 
Dixie's  not  home. 
Dixie's  got  a  sore  foot, 
And  he  cannot  roam  I " 


Games  of  Tag  291 

Johnny,  nothing  daunted  at  the  personal  nature  of  the 
rhymes,  sings  out : 

"  Mud  sills,  Mud  sills,  nigger  stealers ; 
Blue  back,  Blue  back, 
Barnican  Peelers !  " 

or, 

"  If  you  want  to  see  Yankees  just  tremble  with  fear, 
Tell  them  Johnny  Reb  has  got  in  their  rear. 
Hooray  !  Hooray !  for  the  people  they  dread  ! 
Hooray  for  Jeff  Davis  and  the  Red,  white,  and  red  !  " 

After  the  Johnnies  capture  all  the  players  a  new  game 
begins,  and  the  first  one  caught  in  the  last  game  is  "  It "  for 
the  next. 

I  felt  some  hesitancy  about  incorporating  this  game 
among  the  boys'  sports.  For,  at  first  thought,  it  appeared 
likely  to  keep  the  old  sectional  feeling  alive.  But,  on  sec- 
ond thoughts,  I  believe  it  has  quite  the  contrary  effect,  for 
whoever  plays  must  sooner  or  later  take  both  sides,  and  I 
also  notice  that  the  boys  find  no  deeper  significance  in  the 
game  than  in  any  other  hereditary  sport,  and  that  to  most 
of  them  there  is  no  more  meaning  in  the  verses  than  in  the 
old  familiar  button-count : 


"  A  rich  man, 
A  poor  man, 

•  A  beggar  man, 
A  thief. 
A  doctor, 
A  lawyer, 
A  merchant, 
A  chief!" 


So  let  them  play  their  game  of  Johnny  Rebs  and  Little 
Feds,  and  jumble  it  up  with  their  queer  folk-lore  for  future 
wise  men  to  try  and  decipher  and  gi'.ess  its  source. 


292 


Summer 


Tommy  Tiddler's  Land. 

Tommy  Tiddler  represents  a  miserly  old  dwarf,  the 
owner  of  some  mineral  property.  The  dwarf  attacks  all 
trespassers  on  his  domain.  Tommy's  land  must  have  been 
very  rich  in  mineral  deposits,  for  the  boys  cry  : 

"  I'm  on  Tom  Tiddler's  ground 
Picking  up  gold  and  silver." 

Sometimes  Tommy  is  the  King.     Then  the  boys  say  : 

"  I'm  on  the  King's  land 
Stealing  his  gold  and  silver." 

But  whether  it  is  Tommy  Tiddler's,  the  King's,  Van 
Dieman's,  or  the  Ogre's  land,  there  seems  always  to  be 
plenty  of  gold  and  silver.  On  Dixie's  Land,  however,  if  it 
is  anything  that  they  are  stealing,  it  is  colored  people. 

Cow-boys,  or  Cattle  Rustling. 

This  game  descends  to  us  through  our  Highlander 
and  Lowlander  ancestry,  and  originally  represented  the 
struggle  between  these  ancient  people  over  the  possession 
of  cattle  which  had  been  stolen  and  restolen  so  many  times 
that  no  court  could  have  decided  who  had  a  just  right  to 
them.  Indeed,  no  court  was  necessary,  for  the  old-fash- 
ioned,  bare-legged  cattle  thieves  decided  the  question  in  a 
manner  that  was  always  perfectly  satisfactory  to  themselves 
v.-hen  they  won,  and  more  cannot  be  said  of  a  modern  court 
decision. 

It  is  a  slander  on  the  American  cow-boy  to  call  this 
game  after  him,  for  the  cow-boy  is  not  a  cattle  thief,  though 
he  may  sometimes  work  for  one.  On  the  whole,  cattle 
rustling  is  a  perfectly  proper  name,  and  the  one  that  should 
be  adopted  hereafter  in  place  of  cow-boy. 


Games  of  Tag  293 


Choose  up  for  sides  in  the  usual  manner,  and  after  the 
sides  are  made  up  let  each  player  provide  himself  with  a 
cow ;  not  a  real  live  cow,  but  some  object  to  represent  one, 
such  as  a  stick  or  a  stone. 

If  the  game  is  played  in  the  street,  as  it  usually  is,  the 
sidewalks  will  represent  the  ranches  of  the  opposing 
factions,  the  street  will  be  the  battle-ground,  and  the  curb- 
stones the  boundaries.  Each  side  must  place  its  cattle  in  a 
line  in  its  own  ranch. 

The  object  of  each  player  is  to  guard  the  cattle  on  his 
side  from  the  rustlers  across  the  street,  and  to  watch  his 
opportunity  to  "  rustle,"  or  capture,  a  cow  from  the  boys  on 
the  other  side.  Any  boy  found  in  your  ranch  or  on  the 
street  may  be  made  prisoner  by  slapping  him  on  the  back 
three  times  or  holding  him  long  enough  to  repeat  "  one, 
two,  three."  Every  prisoner  captured  takes  sides  with 
his  captors,  and  tries  to  rob  his  late  friends  across  the 
street  of  the  very  cows  he  was  so  carefully  guarding  be- 
fore he  was  captured.  The  game  lasts  until  all  the  cows, 
or  all  the  cow-boys,  or  both  of  one  side,  are  captured  by 
the  other. 

As  a  rule,  this  game  is  played  in  the  twilight,  and  there 
are  great  opportunities  for  slyly  creeping  into  the  enemy's 
ranch,  when  they  are  all  busy  defending  a  united  attack 
from  your  side,  or  when  they  are  all  busy  in  a  raid  on  your 
cattle  and  leave  their  own  unguarded.  Your  ranch  is 
home  for  your  own  side,  and  no  one  can  capture  a  rustler 
on  his  own  ranch,  or  on  his  own  side  of  a  line  drawn  in  the 
middle  of  the  street. 

There  is  plenty  of  racing,  dodging,  shouting,  and 
laughing ;  and,  in  spite  of  the  low  state  of  morals  it 
depicts  in  our  ancestors,  as  a  game  Cattle  Rustling  is  a 
thoroughly  moral  and  enjoyable  sport. 


294  Slimmer 


"  Lil !  Lil !  Over  the  Hill !  " 

This  is  a  Yankee  form  of  Tag  or  Black  Man,  and  is 
played  with  two  homes,  or  goals,  with  Lil  or  "  It  "  in  the 
middle.  The  players  line  up,  half  at  each,  goal,  with  Lil  in 
the  middle,  on  the  battle-ground. 

At  the  cry  of  "  Lil !  Lil!  over  the  hill!"  the  players 
make  a  wild  rush,  the  boys  on  each  side  doing  their  best  to 
reach  the  opposite  side  without  being  caught,  while  "  It  " 
uses  his  best  endeavors  to  capture  one  or  more  of  the 
players  before  they  can  gain  their  goal.  To  make  a 
capture,  he  must  slap  his  captive  three  times  on  the  back. 
All  captives  help  Lil  to^catch  their  free  comrades  until 
all  .are  caught.  The  first  one  caught  is  "  It"  for  the  next 
game. 

Wolf  and  Sheep. 

"  It "  is  the  wolf,  and  the  boy  who  is  to  play  this  part  is 
selected  by  one  of  the  numerous  methods  of  counting  out. 
The  sheep  select  one  of  their  number  for  a  shepherd- 
boy.  When  this  is  arranged,  the  wolf  departs  to  some 
place  of  concealment,  a  short  distance  from  the  spot 
selected  for  home,  or  the  fold. 

When  the  wolf  has  concealed  himself  he  sets  up  a  most 
dismal  howling,  and  the  shepherd-boy,  followed  by  his 
sheep,  seeks  to  discover  the  wolf,  and  all  the  sheep  cry 
"  Bah  !  bah  !  "  As  soon  as  the  shepherd-boy  discovers  the 
wolf  he  announces  the  fact  with  these  words,  "  I  spy  a 
wolf  ! "  Immediately  he  and  all  his  sheep  take  to  their 
heels,  closely  pursued  by  the  wolf.  If  the  wolf  catches  or 
tags  a  sheep  or  the  shepherd  before  he  reaches  the  fold,  the 
one  caught  is  wolf  for  the  next  game. 

In  Brooklyn  the  shepherd  or  any  one  of  the  sheep  who 


Games  of  Tag  295 


spies  the  wolf,  cries  "  Stand !  "  At  the  cry  of  "  stand  "  all, 
wolf,  sheep,  and  shepherd,  remain  stationary  until  the 
shepherd  counts  ten.  As  the  word  "  ten  "  is  pronounced 
the  spell  is  broken,  and  there  is  a  wild  race  for  the  fold. 

"What  Time  do  You  Dine  ?"  or,  The  Brown-eared  Wolf. 

Take  a  piece  of  old  newspaper,  wrapping-paper,  or  any 
other  similar  material,  and  tear  it  into  as  many  bits  as  there 
are  players.  Mark  each  piece  of  paper  with  a  number  rep- 
resenting some  hour  of  the  day,  until  there  is  only  one 
piece  left.  Mark  this  piece  with  the  same  number  as  any 
one  of  those  already  numbered. 

This  will  make  two  of  a  kind ;  that  is,  the  papers  will 
read  one,  two,  two,  three,  etc.,  or  one,  one,  two,  three,  four, 
etc.  There  can  only  be  twelve  numbers,  as  there  are  only 
twelve  hours  on  the  clock ;  but,  if  more  boys  are  playing, 
you  can  make  some  of  the  numbers  half  hours  until  the 
required  number  of  papers  are  marked. 

Under  one  of  the  twin  numbers  mark  a  cross,  thus  £• 
No  one  but  the  lad  chosen  as  marker  must  see  the  num- 
bers until  they  are  drawn,  and  then  each  player  must  keep 
his  number  a  secret. 

To  draw  the  numbers  the  marker  places  them  all  in  a 
hat,  and  each  boy  in  turn  reaches  in  the  hat  without  look- 
ing and  selects  a  bit  of  paper  ;  the  piece  of  paper  left  in  the 
hat  belongs  to  the  marker.  The  boy  who  finds  that  he 
has  drawn  the  paper  with  a  figure  and  a  cross  is  "  It." 

A  simpler  form  of  the  game  is  played  by  omitting  the 
duplicate  number  and  counting  out  to  see  who  shall  be 
"  It."  "  It  "  then  retires  a  short  distance  while  the  sheep 
decide  among  themselves  what  o'clock  they  shall  each 
represent. 


296  Stimmer 


"It"  announces  himself  in  this  way  : 

"  I  eat  no  meat  but  woolly  sheep, 
My  stomach  is  very  good ; 
It's  their  blood,  I  think,  that  I  will  drink, 
If  caught  inside  my  wood  !  " 

With  a  cry  of  alarm  all  the  sheep  hasten  to  form  them- 
selves in  a  ring  around  the  wolf,  for,  if  the  ring  is  not 
complete  before  he  finishes  his  verse,  he  is  allowed,  by  the 
rules  of  the  game,  to  catch  any  boy  who  is  not  grasping 
the  hands  of  two  other  boys,  one  on  each  side.  Conse- 
quently the  end  boys  of  the  line  hasten  to  join  hands  and 
form  the  circle. 

Now  this  funny  old  wolf  is  hemmed  in  by  his  prey,  and, 
in  spite  of  his  blood-thirsty  nature,  he  is  either  not  allowed 
or  is  afraid  to  catch  anyone  until  a  proper  signal  is  given. 
The  signal  is  given  in  this  manner:  All  the  sheep  dance 
around  the  wolf,  shouting  together  this  verse  : 

"  Wolf !  Wolf !  Wolf  with  a  brown  ear, 
Tell  us  what  time  you  will  dine 
On  one  of  the  sheep  gathered  here ! " 

Then  the  wolf  shouts  out  "  Two  o'clock,"  "  three 
o'clock,"  or  whatever  he  chooses,  and  the  sheep  holding 
the  ticket  answering  to  the  time  given  darts  out  of  the  ring 
with  the  wolf  after  him.  The  wolf  cannot  call  the  same 
number  twice.  If  the  sheep  can  run  around  the  ring  three 
times  without  the  wolf  catching  him,  and  regain  his  place, 
he  is  safe,  and  the  wolf  sings  out  again  : 

"  I  eat  no  meat  but  woolly  sheep, 
My  stomach  is  very  good ; 
It's  their  blood,  I  think,  that  I  will  drink, 
If  caught  inside  my  wood ! " 


Games  of  Tag  297 


And  the  sheep  reply,  repeating  the  verse  first  given.  The 
wolf  then  guesses  another  hour,  and  so  the  game  goes  on 
until  a  sheep  is  caught,  when  the  sheep  becomes  a  wolf  and 
the  wolf  a  sheep,  and  all  the  boys  trade  numbers,  being 
careful  not  to  allow  the  brown-eared  wolf  to  hear  them. 

In  case  the  wolf  guesses  the  twin  number  of  his  own,  it 
is  unnecessary  for  him  to  catch  that  sheep,  for  the  sheep 
becomes  a  wolf  as  soon  as  his  number  is  mentioned,  and 
there  are  two  wolves  inside  the  circle.  Happy  then  is  the 
sheep  that  escapes  them  when  his  time  is  called. 

The  Red  Ogre. 

The  ogre  appears  in  various  forms  in  a  majority  of  the 
children's  games,  more  frequently,  perhaps,  in  the  girls' 
and  small  children's  play  than  in  that  of  the  boys  ;  but  even 
in  the  boys'  sport  he  is  to  be  found. 

It  may  be  that  he  likes  girls  and  little  children  best  be- 
cause they  are  more  tender,  and  avoids  boys  because  they 
are  tough.  Probably  it  was  this  same  ogre,  "  Old  Raw- 
bones,"  who  invented  these  lines  : 

"  What  are  little  girls  made  of  ? 
Sugar  and  spice  and  everything  nice. 
That's  what  little  girls  are  made  of! 
What  are  little  boys  made  of  ? 
Snaps  and  snails  and  puppy  dogs'  tails. 
That's  what  little  boys  are  made  of !  " 

If  he  did  I  trust  he  is  happy,  because  these  silly  lines 
have  made  more  small  boys  indignant  than  any  others  that 
1  can  recall.  But,  on  the  whole,  one  is  led  to  believe  that 
Old  Rawbones's  ugly  face  is  only  a  mask  that  hides  a 
laughing  countenance,  and  that  his  bloody  talk  is  only 
a  make-believe  to  disguise  his  jovial  disposition.  Other- 


298 


Summer 


wise,  why  should  he  take  part  in  so  many  games,  and 
always  be  found  on  the  playground  and  in  the  best  story, 
books  ? 

When  the  boys  have  decided  who  is  to  be  Ogre,  the 
latter  hides  around  the  corner,  and  in  his  deepest  voice 
growls  out  these  gory  lines  : 

"  I'm  the  great  Ogre  Red ! 
I  will  eat  you  when  you're  dead ! 
I  must  be  fed ! 
Your  bones  are  my  bread. 
Come,  come,  and  be  bled !  " 

The  other  players,  to  show  how  little  they  fear  the  Red 
Ogre,  rush  by  the  corner  shouting  challenges  to  the 


FIG.  259.— Red  Ogre. 

monster,  who  darts  out  and  usually  manages  to  catch  one 
or  more  of  the  players.  These  captives  then  help  him 
catch  their  playmates  in  the  following  manner : 

The  players  who  escaped  the  Ogre's  first  rush,  retreat 
to  their  starting-point.  The  captives  then  clasp  hands  and 
shout  together : 

"  We  are  the  great  Ogres  Red ! 
We'll  eat  you  when  you're  dead ! 


Games  of  Tag  299 


We  must  be  fed  ! 

Your  bones  are  our  bread. 

Come,  come,  and  be  bled ! " 

Again  the  players  rush  by  the  corner,  while  the  Red 
Ogres  try  to  intercept  them,  as  they  string  across  the 
street  with  joined  hands,  and  thus  the  game  goes  on  until 
all  are  caught. 

In  Brooklyn  the  boys  call  this  game  Red  Robin,  but 
the  rules  are  the  same,  and  the  same  game  possibly  has 
twenty  names  in  various  parts  of  the  United  States. 

The  American  Game  of  Three.    Fox  and  Geese  Mod- 
ernized. 

An  even  number  of  boys  are  necessary  to  play  this 
game.  They  decide  who  shall  be  "  It "  and  who  shall  be 
"  Three." 

The  remaining  boys  form  themselves  in  a  double  circle 
or  in  concentric  circles ;  that  is,  one  ring  of  boys  is  inside 
the  other  ring  of  boys,  and  so  arranged  that  they  stand  in 
couples.  (Fig.  260.)  "  It"  takes  his  position  opposite  the 
outer  circle,  and  "  Three "  takes  his  position  opposite  to 
him,  also  outside  the  outer  ring. 

When  ready,  all  the  couples  join  hands,  "  Three  "  taking 
the  hand  of  the  boy  next  to  him,  and  all  facing  the  same 
way.  The  boys  now  shout  in  unison  a  jingle  making  fun 
of  "Three:" 

"  Three,  Three ! 
Ric,  stick,  stee ! 
High  ball,  low  ball, 
Long-legged  Three  !  " 

This  is  supposed  to  anger  "  Three,"  and  he  retaliates 
with  a  verse  of  his  own.  While  the  boys  recite  their  verse 


300 


Summer 


they  march  around  in  a 
circle,  and  "  It "  stands 
still.  When  "Three" 
passes  "  It "  he  shouts  : 

"  There  stands  he, 
High  ball,  low  ball, 
Red-headed  he, 
Will  never  catch  me  ! " 

The  word  "  me  "  is  the 
signal  for  the  circle  to 
come  to  a  stand-still  and 
for  "  It "  to  dash  after 
"Three,"  who  must  run 
around,  outside  the  ring, 
at  least  once,  after  which, 
if  hard  pressed,  he  may 
shout :  "  Hands  right  and 
left!"  Then  he  grasps  the 
right  hand  of  the  boy  near- 
est to  him  with  his  right 
hand,  and  the  left  hand  of 
the  next  in  order  with  his 
left  hand,  one  hand  and 
then  the  other,  right  and 
left,  as  in  a  square  dance. 
(B,  Fig.  260.) 

"It"  follows  close  at 
his  heels,  going  any  way 
he  can  and  watching  for 
"Three"  to  make  a  mis- 
take. If  "  Three  "  gives 
his  right  hand  when  he  should  have  given  his  left,  or 
his  left  when  he  should  have  given  his  right,  and  "  It " 


A     TKru  Htm  n«. 

B      Hand-)  YJgVvt  iuul U$t». 

C    "Thm"  onVn&uU.  mulu;s. 


FIG.  260.— American  Game  of  Three. 


Games  of  Tag  301 


touches  him  before  the  mistake  is  rectified,  then  "  Three  " 
is  "  It,"  and  the  game  begins  again.  But  if  "Three"  gets 
out  of  breath  he  may  suddenly  stop  on  the  inside  of  the 
circle  next  to  one  of  the  ring  boys.  This  move  puts  the 
outside  boy  of  the  couple  next  to  which  "  Three  "  stands 
outside  the  circle.  (C,  Fig.  260.)  The  outsider  then  be- 
comes "  Three  "  and  "  It "  must  try  to  catch  him. 

In  case  "  Three  "  is  caught  while  running,  the  outside 
boy  that  he  stood  next  to  when  the  game  commenced  is 
"  Three,"  and  "  It "  takes  his  place,  while  the  late  "  Three  " 
becomes  "  It." 

It  is  a  noisy  game,  furnishing  plenty  of  exercise  of 
muscle  and  ingenuity,  and  the  jingle,  as  it  is  changed  to 
suit  the  different  players,  creates  any  amount  of  laughter. 
Sometimes  it  is  "  Little  dude  three,"  "  Freckled-face  three," 
"  Long-nosed  three,"  "  Short-legged  three,"  "  Curly-headed 
three,"  "  Pretty  boy  three  ; "  and  "  Three,"  when  he  sings  his 
verse,  retaliates  upon  poor  "  It "  with  some  apt  or  comic 
allusion  to  this  particular  boy's  peculiarities.  "  It"  always 
stands  stock-still  until  he  hears  the  word  "  me." 

Bull  in  the  Ring. 

"It"  in  this  game  is  the  most  sought-for  position,  for 
"  It"  is  the  bull.  After  it  has  been  decided  who  shall  be 
the  bull,  the  other  boys  all  join  hands  in  a  circle  around 
him.  The  bull  then  examines  the  different  hands  where 
they  are  clasped  together,  asking  :  "  What  is  this  lock  made 
of?" 

"  Brass !  "  answer  the  boys. 

"  Well,  brass  is  strong.  What  is  this  lock  made  of  ?  "  he 
again  asks  of  the  owners  of  two  other  clasped  hands. 

"  Iron  !  "  they  answer. 

"And  this?" 


302 


Slimmer 


"  Steel !  " 

"  I  think  I  can  break  steel ; "  and  making  believe  to  try, 
the  bull  suddenly  turns  and  breaks  his  way  through  the 
circle  where  it  is  unguarded  and  runs  with  all  speed  up 
the  street  with  all  the  players  running  pell-mell  at  his  heels. 
The  boy  who  catches  the  bull  is  bull  for  next  game. 


FIG.  261. — Bull  in  the  Ring. 

It  must  not  be  supposed  that  the  bull  always  succeeds 
in  breaking  through  the  ring  the  first  time.  Sometimes 
the  locks  of  brass,  iron,  gold,  or  even  lead  are  too  strong 
for  him,  and  he  makes  believe  examine  some  other  locks, 
while  the  circle  of  boys  jeer  him,  and  tell  him  that  he  can- 
not escape.  But  sooner  or  later  he  breaks  through  some 
weak  point  in  the  ring  and  scampers  away.  If  the  bull  is 
a  fast  runner  he  often  leads  the  boys  a  long  chase,  over  the 


Games  of  Tag  303 


fences  and  through  back-lots  of  the  city ;  or,  if  the  ring  is 
in  the  country,  through  pasture-lots,  where  real  bulls  gaze 
in  wide-eyed  wonder  at  the  scampering  boys,  through  the 
woods,  with  the  rabbits  and  gray  squirrels  flying  ahead, 
and  over  the  brooks,  where  the  speckled  trout  hide  under 
the  banks.  Over  fences  and  ditches,  with  never  a  stop,  the 
bull  rushes  on  until  he  is  at  last  headed  off  and  caught. 

Then  all  go  back  to  the  playground,  and  a  new  ring  is 
formed  with  the  victor  for  a  new  bull,  and  new  locks  of 
brass  and  iron  are  forged  to  keep  him  in  the  ring. 


CHAPTER  XXV 
I  SPY 

With  Instructions  also  How  to  Play  Hunkety  and  Kick  the  Wicket. 

WHEN  the  world  was  young  the  little  folks  played  I 
Spy,  and  the  game  is  still  popular,  and  will  be,  I  venture  to 
say,  as  long  as  there  are  young  people  to  play  it,  even 
though  the  world  becomes  old  and  gray  in  the  meantime. 

And,  if  there  are  no  children  left,  the  young  beasts  of 
the  forest  will  play  it  as  they  do  now.  A  pair  of  young 
foxes  once  owned  by  the  writer  never  seemed  to  tire  of 
playing  I  Spy.  First  one  would  hide  and  then  the  other, 
and  great  would  be  the  race  when  the  hider  was  discovered. 
The  race  generally  ended  in  a  rough-and-tumble  fight  and 
then  the  game  was  started  afresh.  They  had  no  rules 
determining  which  should  be  "  It "  that  I  could  discover, 
nor  did  "  It"  count  a  hundred  with  his  eyes  shut  to  give 
the  other  a  chance  to  hide  as  a  boy  does.  Nor  was  the 
young  fox  intelligent  enough  to  use  the  unfair  methods  of 
counting  sometimes  employed  by  boys.  For  instance, 
when  "  It "  agrees  to  count  one  hundred,  and  the  other 
boys  are  seeking  a  hiding-place,  they  are  sometimes  caught 
unaware  when  "  It  "  shouts  "  Ten,  ten,  double  ten,  forty-five, 
and  fifteen  ! "  opens  his  eyes  and  goes  in  search  of  his  half- 
hidden  playmates.  Any  hider  gaining  home  before  "  It " 
can  do  so  is  in  free,  and  generally  announces  the  fact  by 
shouting  as  he  runs.  "  In  free  !  in  free  ! "  But  if  "  It"  spies 


I  Spy 305 

a  boy,  calls  his  name,  and  reaches  home  first,  the  boy  is 
caught.  The  game  goes  on  until  all  are  in  free  or  caught. 
If  "  It "  fails  to  catch  one,  then  "  It"  must  be  "  It "  for  the 
next  game,  but  if  he  catches  one  or  more  boys,  the  first  one 
caught  is  "  It  "  for  the  next  game. 

As  Played  in  the  Evening. 

As  this  game  is  played  in  the  evening,  or  after  dark,  it  is 
frequently  difficult  for  "  It "  to  distinguish  one  boy  from 
another.  This  difficulty  is  often  increased  by  those  hiding 
turning  their  caps  and  coats  inside  out  or  exchanging  caps 
and  hats,  and  purposely  allowing  the  disguised  heads  to 
appear  from  behind  a  tree  or  the  front  steps  of  a  house. 
When  the  boy  who  is  "It  "sees  the  head  and  recognizes 
the  covering,  in  nine  times  out  of  ten  he  will  be  deceived, 
and  cry  out,  "  I  spy  Tom  Jones ! "  when  it  is  really  Billy 
Smith  with  Tom  Jones's  hat  or  cap  on.  In  this  case  both 
Jones  and  Smith  are  free.  Usually,  while  this  affair  is  go- 
ing on,  several  others  slip  in  crying,  "  In  free  !  "  and  "  It " 
learns  by  experience  to  be  more  cautious  the  next  time. 
The  exchanging  of  hats  and  coats  or  the  turning  of  them 
inside  out  adds  greatly  to  the  difficulty  of  detection  and  to 
the  interest  of  the  game. 

Freeings. 

If  the  last  hider  to  come  in  succeeds  in  reaching  home 
without  being  caught  and  cries  "  Freeings !  "  then  all  go 
out  and  hide  again,  and  "  It"  is  "  It  "  for  another  game. 


Hunkety  :  A  Long  Island  I  Spy,  with  a  Wicket 

After  "  It "  has  been  chosen  by  one  of  the  usual  methods 
he  selects  a  tree,  fence,  lamp-post,  or  the  corner  of  a  house 
for  his  den,  home,  or  goal.  First  leaning  a  stick  against 

20 


306 


Summer 


home,  "  It "  turns  his  face  to  his  den,  and,  covering  his 
eyes  with  his  hands,  counts  five  hundred  by  fives  as  rapidly 
as  possible,  while  the  other  boys  run  and  hide. 

At  the  end  of  the  count  he  shouts  "  Five  hundred,  com- 


FIG.  262.— Long  Island  Hunkety. 

ing,  ready  or  not !  "  As  in  ordinary  I  Spy,  or  Hi  Spy  as 
the  boys  term  it,  "  It "  searches  for  the  other  boys,  and 
when  he  discovers  a  playmate  he  rushes  home  to  his  den, 
and,  placing  his  hands  upon  the  goal,  shouts  "  One,  two, 
three !  "  and  calls  the  boy's  name  that  he  has  spied.  If  the 


307 


hider  discovered  by  "  It  "  does  not  reach  home  or  kick  the 
stick  over  before  "  It  "  finishes  his  sentence  the  hider  is 
caught,  and  "  It  "  goes  out  to  seek  the  others,  and  the  game 
goes  on. 

"  It's"  power  to  move  is  governed  by  the  stick,  for,  while 
that  is  down,  he  is  not  allowed  to  spy  any  one.  Conse- 
quently he  guards  the  stick  with  great  care  for  fear  some 
hider-out  may  rush  in  and  kick  it  over.  When  a  hider-out 
succeeds  in  kicking  the  stick  over  without  being  caught, 
then  those  who  have  previously  been  caught  are  free,  and 
all  that  are  in  go  out  and  hide  again  while  "  It"  is  fixing  the 
overthrown  stick. 

Often  one  of  the  players  will  hide  within  ten  paces  of  the 
den,  and  as  soon  as  "It  "  leaves  his  goal  the  boy  inside  the 
ten-pace  limit  rushes  in,  kicks  over  the  wicket,  and  is  free. 
To  guard  against  this  last  move  "It"  sometimes  shouts 
"Anybody  hiding  around  my  den  is  'It.'"  The  boy,  if 
there  is  one,  who  is  hiding  within  the  limit  of  ten  paces  is 
now  "  It,"  and  the  former  "  It  "  goes  out  and  hides.  Fre- 
quently it  happens  that  the  last  boy  out  succeeds  in  knock- 
ing over  the  stick  before  "  It"  can  prevent  him.  This,  of 
course,  frees  all  that  have  been  previously  caught,  and  all 
rush  out  and  hide  again. 

When  at  last  all  the  boys  are  caught  or  in  free  a  new 
game  is  started  with  the  first  one  caught  in  the  last  game 
for  "  It." 

Kick  the  Wicket. 

This  is  a  game  of  Flushing,  Long  Island.  The  boy  who 
is  to  be  "  It"  is  decided  upon  after  the  manner  in  vogue 
with  the  boys,  and  the  rest  take  their  numbers  according 
to  the  order  in  which  they  call  them.  "  I  choose  number 
one  !  "  shouts  one  boy.  "  Two  for  me  !  "  cries  another, 
and  so  it  goes  until  all  are  numbered. 


308  Summer 


Then  "  It "  places  the  wicket,  which  is  simply  a  stick, 
against  a  tree.  Three  other  trees  are  selected  for  bases. 
Number  One  gives  the  wicket  a  kick  and  sends  it  as  far  as 
possible  and  runs  for  the  first  base,  while  "  It"  hurriedly 
chases  the  wicket  and  replaces  it  with  all  possible  speed. 
As  soon  as  the  wicket  is  in  place  the  runner  is  supposed  to 
be  suddenly  stricken  with  paralysis,  or  is  enchanted,  so  that 
he  can  move  neither  hand  nor  foot.  If  perchance  the 
runner  is  detected  by  "  It "  in  lifting  a  toe,  he  must  take 
"  It's  "  place. 

The  enchantment  can  only  be  broken  by  Number  Two 
kicking  the  wicket.  When  Number  Two  has  sent  the 
wicket  flying  he  runs  for  the  first  base  and  Number  One 
for  the  second,  provided  he  has  reached  the  first  base  be- 
fore he  became  enchanted,  and  both  continue  to  run  the 
bases  until  the  spell  is  thrown  over  them  by  the  magic 
wicket  being  again  replaced  against  the  home-tree  by  "  It." 

The  object  of  the  players  is  to  run  all  three  bases  and 
home  again,  and  the  object  of  "  It"  is  to  prevent  them  from 
moving  at  all.  Often  it  happens  that  all  the  boys  are  be- 
witched at  one  time  between  the  first  and  home  base.  In 
this  case  they  must  endeavor  to  steal  along  until  one 
reaches  home  without  being  detected  by  "  It,"  in  which 
case  he  kicks  the  magic  wicket,  and  sets  all  his  comrades 
in  motion  again.  But  this  is  a  very  difficult  feat  to  per- 
form, because  "It"  is  lynx-eyed  and  he  will  if  possible  keep 
close  watch  and  as  soon  as  he  sees  a  boy  move  cry, 

"  I  saw  you  stir, 

Yes,  sir! 
Don't  say  nit, 
You're  '  It.' " 

Nevertheless  it  sometimes  happens  when  the  boys  are 
well  scattered  that  little  by  little  they  will  steal  ahead  until 


/  Spy  309 

one  can  reach  the  wicket  and  give  it  a  kick,  which  he  is  en- 
titled to  do  if  he  touches  home  base  before  being  detected 
by  "  It." 

In  Brooklyn,  when  all  the  players  are  enchanted  be- 
tween bases,  "  It"  is  compelled  to  kick  the  wicket  himself. 
This  he  does  reluctantly,  making  many  false  passes  first  in 
order  to  deceive  the  players  and  cause  them  to  move. 

This  interesting  and  queer  game  is  new  to  the  writer, 
though  without  doubt  it  is  as  old  as  all  the  others,  and  only 
chance  has  prevented  him  from  becoming  acquainted  with 
it  until  he  took  up  his  residence  in  the  old  Quaker  village 
of  Flushing.  The  game  savors  distinctly  of  the  old  times, 
when  people  believed  in  fairies,  gnomes,  witches,  and  magic 
spells. 


CHAPTER  XXVI 
LEAP-FROG. 

Teaching  the  Game  to  the  Esquimaux  —  Foot-an'-Half— With  Firs': 
Back  and  a  Leader  —  A  Game  Requiring  Skill  —  Spanish  Fly 
— The  Danger  of  Quarrelling — Dick's  Hat-band. 

WHEN  Mr.  Landon  Gibson  was  with  Lieutenant  Peary 
on  his  polar  expedition  he  often  had  very  jolly  times 
with  the  hardy,  good-natured,  flat-faced  natives  of  those 
cold  climes.  Among  other  things  the  explorers  taught 
the  natives  the  game  of  leap-frog,  and  used  to  have  great 
fun  allowing  the  little  fur-clad,  laughing  Esquimaux  to 
go  straddling  over  their  bent  backs.  It  is  possible  that 
all  of  those  in  the  polar  region  now  know  how  to  play 
the  game,  for  the  sport  pleased  them  beyond  measure,  and 
no  doubt  they  took  advantage  of  the  first  opportunity  to 
teach  it  to  all  their  neighbors. 

How  to  Play  Leap-frog. 

However,  the  Esquimaux  will  not  read  this  .book,  and 
there  may  be  some  poor  little  chap  so  unfortunate  as  to  be 
born  and  bred  in  one  of  our  big  cities,  whose  careful 
parents  have  had  tutors  for  him  in  place  of  sending  him 
to  school,  and  whose  life  has  been  narrowed  in  various 
ways  by  his  surroundings,  so  that  he  has  never  taken 
part  in  a  game  of  leap-frog,  or  seen  it  played.  For  this  un- 
fortunate, possible  boy  it  is  well  to  explain  that  this  simple 


Leap-Frog 


game  is  performed  in  the  following  manner :  One  boy, 
with  his  back  to  the  player,  stoops  down  and  rests  his 
hands  on  his  knees.  This  is  called 

"Giving  a  Back." 

The  other  boy  places  his  hands  on  the  first  boy's  back  and 
leaps  over  him  by  straddling  his  legs  wide  apart  on  each 
side  like  a  frog.  The  second  boy  then  assumes  the  stooping 
posture  and  the  third  boy  leaps  over  the  first  and  second, 
and  the  fourth  over  all  three,  one  at  a  time,  of  course. 

This  goes  on  un- 
til there  is  no  boy 
left  who  is  not  stoop- 
ing. Then  the  first 
boy's  back  straight- 
ens up  and  he  goes 
leaping  over  his  fel- 
lows and  again  gives 
a  back,  while  the 
second  one  follows, 
and  so  on  until  they 
are  all  tired  and  the 
game  ceases. 

Foot -an'- Half,  or 
Foot  and  One- 
Half. 

The  foot  men- 
tioned  in  this  title  is 
not  the  foot  marked  FIG.  263.— Leap-frog, 

on  a  United  States 

standard  rule,  but  a  boyish  foot  enclosed  in  a  rusty  shoe 
and  owned  by  the  leader  in  the  game.  The  boy  who  is 


312 


Szimmer 


"  It"  in  this  game  is  called  First  Back.  He  stands  at  a  taw 
line  and  gives  a  back.  The  leader  is  supposed  to  be  the 
best  jumper  in  the  game,  and  is  selected  by  the  First  Back 

for  this  reason.  He  tells  First 
Back  the  height  to  hold  his  back 
and  places  his  hands  on  First 
Back's  shoulders,  gives  a  leap, 
spreading  his  legs,  and  over  he 
goes.  Where  the  leader's  heels 
strike  he  makes  a  mark,  and  First 
Back  takes  his  position  at  this 
line,  astride  the  line  and  with  his 
side  toward  the  taw  and  the 
other  players.  All  the  other  boys 
stand  at  the  taw  line  and  one 
after  another  jump  over  First 
Back. 

When  the  leader's  turn  comes 

around  again  he  makes  another  jump,  not  from  the  taw  line 
but  from  a  point  a  foot  and  a  half  in  advance  of  the  first 
starting  point,  measured  with  his  own  feet.  Again  he 
marks  where  his  heels  strike,  and  First  Back  takes  his  po- 
sition at  this  mark. 

This  goes  on  until  one  of  the  players  fails  to  clear  First 
Back,  usually  tumbling  him  over  and  rolling  both  together 
on  the  ground.  The  player  who  fails  is  "  It,"  or  First  Back, 
for  the  next  game.  Any  player  may  direct  First  Back  to 
give  him  a  high,  low,  or  medium  back  before  he  jumps. 
Usually  each  boy  calls  for  as  high  a  back  as  the  leaper 
thinks  he  can  possibly  jump,  each  player  taking  pride  in 
making  good  jumps  and  being  loath  to  call  for  a  low  back 
unless  the  distance  is  great. 

Any  jumper  is  allowed  to  place  the  middle  of  his  foot  on 


FIG.  264.— Foot-an'-Half. 


Leap- Frog  313 


the  line,  but  more  than  that  in  advance  of  taw  is  called 
"  toeing  over  the  line."  If  a  boy  alights  with  one  heel  on 
the  taw  side  of  the  line  which  First  Back  is  straddling,  it 
is  called  "  heeling  behind  the  line."  Any  one  of  these  er- 
rors, or  jumping  out  of  turn,  may  "bring  a  player  down." 
Generally  some  one  shouts  "  Something  up,"  and  if  he  first 
names  the  error  the  boy  who  is  caught  becomes  First  Back. 
If  the  right  error  is  unnamed  the  game  proceeds. 

Foot-an'-Half,  with  a  Leader  and  a  Foot-an'-Half. 

Count  out  to  find  who  shall  be  "  It,"  or  First  Back.  The 
First  Back  then  selects  the  poorest  jumper  for  leader  and 
a  good  player  for  Foot-an'-Half,  or  "  header  "  and  "  footer." 
The  object  of  this  arrangement  is  evident  when  the  game 
proceeds,  for  it  soon  becomes  plain  to  the  dullest  observer 
that  Foot-an'-Half  is  First  Back's  friend  and  is  doing  his 
best  to  set  tasks  that  it  will  be  beyond  the  powers  of  the 
leader  to  perform. 

First  Back  stands  with  one  foot  on  each  side  of  the 
taw  line,  with  his  side  toward  the  players,  and  "  gives  a 
back."  The  leader,  followed  by  all  the  other  players  in 
turn,  jumps  over  First  Back.  Foot-an'-Half,  coming  last, 
jumps  as  far  as  he  can  and  marks  the  spot  where  his  heels 
strike  by  a  line  drawn  parallel  to  the  taw  line.  First 
Back  moves  to  the  line  drawn  by  Foot-an'-Half,  and,  plac- 
ing a  foot  on  each  side  of  the  line,  again  gives  a  back. 

The  leader  may  now  take  a  foot  and  a  half  measured 
by  his  own  feet  from  taw,  or  take  a  step  beyond  the  taw 
line,  if  he  deems  the  distance  too  great  for  a  single  jump. 
But  should  any  one  of  the  players  following  the  leader  be 
able  to  make  the  jump  from  taw,  the  leader  becomes  First 
Back  and  the  game  commences  over. 

With  good  players  and  a  good  Foot-an'-Half  the  dis- 


314  Summer 


tance  of  First  Back  from  the  original  taw  line  sometimes 
becomes  so  great  that  a  successful  jump  is  only  accom- 
plished by  taking  a  hop,  skip,  and  a  jump  from  the  start- 
ing point,  marking  the  spot  where  the  heels  strike,  or  three 
jumps  and  a  hop  and  making  the  final  jump  over  First 
Back  from  this  mark.  First  Back  stands  high  or  low  as 
he  may  be  directed  by  each  player  in  turn. 

Par 

is  a  game  of  Foot-an'-Half  in  which  the  leader  marks  his 
jump,  which  each  boy  following  must  equal  or  exceed. 
After  all  have  marked  their  jumps,  First  Back  measures  a 
foot  and  a  half  from  taw  line  and  takes  his  position  at 
this  point ;  the  leader  now  jumps  from  taw  over  Foot-an'- 
Half  and  he  must  surpass  all  previous  jumps.  Failures 
bring  the  culprits  "  down." 

Spanish  Fly. 

After  settling  who  is  to  be  leader  the  boys  start  the 
game  as  in  the  preceding  by  the  leader  placing  his  hands 
on  the  shoulders  of  First  Back  and  leaping  over.  As  the 
boys  go  over  in  turn  some  good  player,  desiring  to  win 
glory  for  himself  and  to  increase  the  fun,  shouts  "  Spanish 
fly  !"  before  he  touches. 

Up  to  the  moment  that  the  player  makes  this  announce- 
ment it  is  supposed  to  be  an  ordinary  game  of  Leap-frog 
or  Foot-an'-Half.  But  now  all  realize  that  excitement  and 
difficult  feats  are  ahead  of  them.  The  next  time  the  sell- 
appointed  leader  goes  over  First  Back  he  cries 

"Torchlight!" 

and  jumps  with  only  one  hand  on  First  Back's  shoulders, 
while  with  the  other  he  waves  his  cap  for  a  torch.  All  the 


Leap- Frog  315 


otner  players  follow  suit,  and  encouraged  by  their  applause 
the  leader  selects  more  difficult  feats  to  perform. 

"  Hats  on  Deck  ! " 

he  now  shouts,  and  placing  his  hat  or  cap  on  First  Back's 
shoulders  he  leaps  over  without  disturbing  his  head-gear. 
The  next  player  places  his  cap  on  top  of  the  leader's  and 
leaps  over  it.  The  last  boy  in  "  Hats  on  deck ! "  or  "  Hats 
in  a  pile,"  as  some  call  it,  has  the  most  difficult  part  to 
perform,  often  having  five  or  six  hats  to  jump  over.  Now 
the  last  boy  makes  another  jump  and  takes  his  hat  off  the 
back  without  disturbing  the  others,  and  all  the  other  play- 
ers follow  suit. 

If  none  fail  the  leader  next  cries 

"Hats  Full  of  Water!" 

and  picking  his  hat  up  he  balances  it  upside  down  on  his 
head  and  makes  the  jump  without  jostling  it  off  his  head. 
This  act  being  performed  by  all  the  players,  the  leader 
next  cries 

"Hats  in  the  Water!" 

and  jumping  over  First  Back  he  deftly  shakes  off  his  hat  on 
the  other  side.  Each  player  following  must  do  likewise, 
without  touching  another  hat  with  his  feet  or  with  his  own 
hat. 

When  the  hats  are  all  in  the  water  the  leader  must  jump 
over  First  Back  and  alight  on  one  foot  without  touching 
any  of  the  hats  scattered  around ;  and  still  without  coming 
in  contact  with  hat  or  cap,  or  touching  his  uplifted  foot 
to  the  ground,  he  must  manage  to  hop  to  his  own  hat, 
kneel  down  and  pick  it  up  with  his  teeth,  and  hop  back  to 
First  Back,  turn  his  back  to  taw  and  First  Back,  and  with  a 


316  Summer 


toss  of  his  head  send  his  cap  backward  over  his  own  head 
and  clear  of  First  Back,  toward  taw.  The  touching  of 
another  hat  or  of  the  uplifted  foot  to  the  ground  before  the 
last  feat  is  performed,  will  bring  the  leader  down,  or  if  he 
touches  his  own  cap  with  his  hands,  or  if  his  cap  strikes 
First  Back  in  going  over,  the  leader  "  comes  down,  that  is, 
takes  First  Back's  place." 

Each  of  the  players  must  perform  the  same  feat  in  turn. 
A  failure  to  perform  the  part  in  accordance  with  the  pre- 
scribed rules  brings  the  player  down  and  the  game  begins 
over.  Generally  some  one  fails  before  the  hats  reach  the 
water.  If  not  the  leader  taxes  his  memory  and  invention 
to  its  utmost  for  difficult  acts  to  perform,  until  some  one 
<ails,  and  the  game  starts  afresh. 

Spanish  Fly  is  a  jolly  game,  full  of  fun  and  noise,  two 
elements  that  seem  inseparably  connected ;  but  sometimes 
the  rougher  boys  introduce  rowdyism  into  the  game  that 
eventually  results  in  doubled  fists,  blows,  or  bad  names. 
This  is  the  invariable  result  of  such  deportment  where- 
ever  it  may  be  found,  and  all  such  acts  as  "  spurings," 
"  knucks,"  and  "  ramming  the  cannon  "  are  to  be  tolerated 
only  by  toughs. 

Effect  of  Bad  Names. 

Speaking  of  bad  names,  which  with  boys  as  well  as  with 
men  are  the  invariable  prelude  to  a  fight,  I  once  saw  a  little 
fellow  in  Kentucky  close  up  the  mouth  of  a  low,  vulgar  bully 
in  a  truly  boyish,  but  to  me,  a  most  novel  and  effective  man- 
ner. Many  of  the  horrid  names  that  a  retentive  memory  had 
stored  in  fifteen  years  of  life  among  the  "  river  rats  "  were 
hurled  by  the  bully  at  the  little  Kentuckian.  The  latter 
turned  pale,  hesitated  a  moment,  while  a  crowd  of  boys 
looked  curiously  on  to  see  the  result.  It  was  evident  to  all 


Leap- Frog  317 


that  the  little  fellow  would  stand  but  a  poor  chance  for 
victory  in  a  scuffle  with  the  bandy-legged,  broad-shouldered 
young  tough  from  the  levee  on  the  river  front.  Yet,  at 
first,  it  appeared  as  if  the  smaller  boy  meant  to  fight,  for 
his  little  fists  were  clenched  as  if  he  intended  to  resent  the 
insult  with  a  blow  ;  but  it  was  only  a  natural  impulse  of  a 
brave  boy,  and  was  but  momentary. 

Soon  his  little  fingers  unclasped  and  his  hands  were 
thrust  carelessly  into  his  trousers'  pockets,  the  color  came 
back  to  his  cheeks,  and  with  a  bright  smile  on  his  lips, 
he  gently  said,  "  Fen  for  me,  all  on  you,  twice  as  many  as 
you  call  me." 

This  reply  was  greeted  with  a  roar  of  applause  and 
checkmated  the  levee  bully,  who,  low  as  he  was,  did  not 
care  to  call  himself  all  the  vulgar  names  he  had  applied  to 
the  little  Kentuckian,  and  according  to  boys'  etiquette  it 
was  evident  that  the  only  way  he  could  prevent  the  names 
reverting  to  himself  with  doubled  intensity  was  by  keeping 
his  bull-dog  jaws  closed. 

Dick's  Hat-band. 

One  of  the  players  consents  to  act  the  part  of  Dick  ;  the 
others  are  his  band,  and  since  all  their  hats  are  used  in  the 
game  the  other  boys  are  called  his  hat-band.  Dick's  own 
hat  is  placed  in  front  of  a  row  of  those  of  his  band,  which 
are  ranged  in  a  line  parallel  to  a  board-fence  or  dead  wall, 
at  a  distance  of  about  a  foot  from  it  and  a  couple  of  inches 
or  thereabouts  from  each  other. 

The  game  is  begun  by  Dick,  who,  placing  the  heel  of 
one  foot  against  the  toe  of  the  other,  and  then  the  heel 
of  the  latter  against  the  toe  of  the  other,  alternately,  meas- 
ures off  from  twelve  to  fifteen  of  his  foot-lengths  directly 
away  from  the  line  of  hats.  At  this  distance  he  marks  his 


318  Summer 


taw  line.  He  then  measures  off  five  more  of  his  foot- 
lengths  and  marks  the  distance  line. 

Standing  upon  the  taw  line  Dick  tries  to  toss  a  ball  into 
his  own  hat.  If  he  succeeds  in  doing  this  he  cries  "  Even 
score,"  which  is  twenty  points,  the  game  being  one  hun- 
dred ;  if  he  fails,  the  other  players  shout  "  Odd,"  and  each 
gains  a  point,  while  Dick  gets  a  "  scratch,"  which  is  one 
against  him.  Whether  he  wins  or  loses,  however,  he  puts 
his  hat  on  his  head  and  throws  the  ball  a  second  time,  try- 
ing to  make  it  drop  into  the  last  hat  in  the  row  on  the 
right.  If  he  fails,  the  boy  to  whom  the  hat  belongs, 
together  with  all  the  players  but  Dick,  again  shout  "  odd," 
and  gain  a  point,  Dick  losing  one,  and  the  said  owner  of 
the  hat  becomes  "Dick,"  while  he  who  was  Dick  places  his 
hat  to  the  left  of  the  others.  If,  however,  Dick  succeeds  in 
making  the  ball  fall  into  the  hat,  he  puts  it  on  his  head  on 
top  of  his  own,  while  the  owner  of  the  former  hat  gives  a 
back,  as  in  Leap-frog,  at  the  distance  line,  and  Dick,  stand- 
ing at  the  base  line,  tries  to  leap  over  him  without  jolting 
off  either  one  or  both  the  hats  from  his  head.  Should  he 
do  this  he  shouts  "  Even  score "  and  gets  twenty  more 
points ;  should  he  fail,  the  band  shout  "  Odd,"  and  get  a 
point  apiece,  while  Dick  has  a  scratch  and  loses  one,  and 
becomes  one  of  the  band,  the  owner  of  the  extra  hat  be- 
coming Dick.  If,  however,  Dick  gets  his  "  even  score,"  he 
tries  to  make  the  ball  rebound  into  the  next  hat  on  the 
right  from  the  one  in  which  the  ball  was  last,  and,  succeed- 
ing, puts  this  hat  on  his  head  in  addition  to  the  two  already 
there,  and  again  attempts  the  same  feat  with  the  owner  of 
the  third  hat  he  has  successfully  performed  with  that  of  the 
second. 

And  thus  the  game  goes  on.  As  Dick's  hats  increase 
in  number  the  other  boys  try  to  disconcert  him  by  shouting 


Leap- Frog  319 


"  Wig,  wag !  wig,  wag !  Dick  with  a  hat-band  ! "  Dick 
cannot  very  well  carry  more  than  half  a  dozen  hats  on  his 
head,  and  consequently  the  game  is  generally  limited  to 
that  number  of  players,  the  odd  number,  five,  being  the 
band,  and  the  extra  one  Dick. 

,  Much  sport  may  be  had  at  this  game.  It  is  simple  and 
yet  requires  considerable  skill  and  activity  to  play  it  well. 
An  ordinary  tennis  ball,  or,  better  still,  a  child's  rubber  ball, 
is  the  best  one  to  use.  The  score  may  be  kept  by  marking 
it  down  on  the  wall  or  fence  with  a  bit  of  chalk,  or  each 
player  may  have  a  shallow  hole  in  the  ground  in  which  a 
bit  of  stick  is  put  for  a  point  and  a  stone  for  a  scratch. 


CHAPTER  XXVII 
VARIOUS  SPORTS  FOR  HOT  DAYS 

"  Jack's  Alive  I  "—Spirit  Tortoise  and  Dead  Turtles — Jack  and  the  Can- 
dles— Bowlder  On,  or  Duck  on  a  Rock — Nine  and  Ten  Pins — Skit- 
tles, Ancient  and  Modern. 

HAVING  built  a  small  bonfire  in  some  vacant  lot,  all  the 
boys  squat  around  it  like  so  many  Indians  about  their  camp- 
fire.  A  cork  on  the  end  of  a  stick  is  thrust  into  the  blaze 
and  allowed  to  remain  there  until  it  becomes  well  lighted. 
Then  by  using  the  stick  for  a  handle  one  of  the  boys  with- 
draws the  cork  and,  blowing  out  the  flame  but  leaving  the 
red  glowing  end  of  the  cork,  exclaims 

"  Jack's  Alive  ! " 

and  passes  it  to  the  next  boy  to  the  right.  This  boy  blows 
the  cork  to  see  that  the  end  still  glows  and  repeats  the 
words,  "  Jack's  alive !  "  as  he  hands  it  to 
his  companion  at  his  right. 

As  the  hot   end   becomes  duller  the 
boys  pass  it  with  greater  haste,  each  re- 
peating, "  Jack's  alive,"  until  the  time  ar- 
rives when   no  amount   of  blowing  will 
FIG.  265.— Been  Play  ing    bring   to   life    the   dead   embers  on   the 

Tack  s  Alive. 

cork.  Then  "  Jack  is  dead,"  and  the  boy 
holding  the  dead  Jack  must  submit  to  having  the  score 
marked  on  his  face.  One  black  mark  only  can  be  made  for 
one  dead  Jack.  The  first  mark  may  be  on  one  side  of  the 
player's  upper  lip  representing  one-half  of  a  mustache. 


Partous  Shorts  for  Hot  Days         321 

The  cork  is  then  again  placed  in  the  fire  while  the  boys 
sit  around  and  wait  for  Jack  to  come  to  life  again.  Then 
the  cork  is  again  passed  around  with  the  same  remarks, 
until  Jack  again  expires  and  another  lad  is  decorated  with 
the  half  of  a  mustache  or  a  big  black  eyebrow  or  a  round 
black  dot  on  his  cheek. 

When  Jack  shows  a  ruddy  red  light  he  is  passed  alon# 
carelessly,  but  as  his  light  pales  it  is  laughable  to  see  witL 
what  haste  the  boys  shout  "Jack's  alive! "and  pass  the 
dying  ember  on  to  the  next  player. 

Spirit  Tortoise  and  Dead  Turtles. 

There  is  no  necessity  of  counting  out  in  this  game,  for 
all  are  "  It."  The  game  commences  by  each  lad  choosing 
what  sort  of  turtle  he  intends  to  represent.  "  I'm  a  soft 
back!"  "I'm  a  snapper!"  "I'm  a  mud  turtle!"  "I'm  a 
diamond  back!"  "  I'm  a  red  belly  !"  and  "  I'm  a  land  tor- 
toise  !  "  they  shout.  Then  they  all  squat  down  in  a  row, 
resting  their  chins  on  their  knees  and  crossing  their  hands, 
each  holding  his  right  foot  with  his  left  hand  and  his  left 
foot  with  his  right  hand. 

A  short  distance  from  the  line  of  boys  is  some  object, 
a  fence  or  wall,  which  they  have  decided  upon  as  their  taw 
line  or  goal.  It  is  the  object  of  all  the  turtles  to  waddle  along 
without  removing  their  hands  from  their  feet  until  they 
have  touched  goal  and  returned  to  the  starting  point. 
When  all  are  ready  they  shout  out  a  comical  verse,  which 
is  probably  intended  to  represent  the  awkward  motions  01 
the  turtles  by  words — 

"  Kumbo,  kuzetoo,  rungetoo,  zee ! 
When  we  start,  fun  you'll  see ! 
Wiliy,  wally,  wully^wake ! 
See  this  turtle  take  the  cake! " 

91 


322 


Summer 


At  the  word  "  cake  "  all  start  in  their  queer  race  amid 
general  laughter,  boasting,  and  banter.  Sooner  or  later 
some  one  of  the  boys  is  certain  to  loose  his  grip  on  either 
one  or  the  other  of  his  feet.  Then  the  others  shout  "  Dead 
turtle !  "  and  the  player  whose  hand  slipped  must  lie  mo- 
tionless where  he  is  until  the  return  of  his  more  skilful 
companions. 

The  first  racer  who  reaches  his  goal  and  returns  success- 
fully is  the  victor,  and  is  supposed  to  be  endowed  with  su- 
pernatural powers.  After  reaching  the  starting  point  he 
goes  back  to  the  dead  turtles,  and  of  each  he  makes  the 
same  inquiry,  "  Dead  turtle,  what  are  you  doing  there  ?  " 

Now,  while  all  who  fail  are  considered  dead,  yet  they 
are  not  supposed  to  be  deprived  of  the  power  of  speech, 
and  so  no  one  is  surprised  when  the  dead  turtle  answers  in 
these  words :  "I  am  waiting  for  the  spirit  tortoise  to  blow 
life  into  me."  The  victor,  or  spirit  tortoise,  still  retaining 
fast  hold  of  his  feet  with  his  hands,  manages  to  waddle 
around  the  dead  turtle,  repeating  these  mystic  lines : 

"  Hunyab,  Punjab,  chiz  row  zie, 
I  bring  life  to  all  near  me  ! 
I  touch  a  turtle  on  the  snout. 
Life  blows  in  and  death  blows  out ! " 

Loosening  his  grasp  on  one  foot  for  an  instant,  the  spirit 
tortoise  touches  the  nose  of  the  dead  turtle  with  his  finger, 
and  instantly  the  dead  turtle  returns  to  life,  grasps  his  right 
foot  with  his  left  hand  and  his  left  foot  with  his  right  hand 
and  wiggles  back  to  the  starting  point 

After  the  victor  has  restored  all  the  dead  to  life  he  man- 
ages  to  regain  his  position  at  the  starting  point  and  the 
game  is  finished. 

It  is  no  easy  matter  to  win  in  this  game,  and  the  victor 


Various  Sports  for  Hot  Days          323 

must  have  the  pluck  and  force  of  character  to  hold  hard 
with  both  hands,  no  matter  how  great  the  temptation  to  let 
go  and  be  a  dead  turtle. 

This  game  is  said  to  be  of  Indian  origin.  In  the  Indian 
game  neither  the  turtles  nor  the  tortoises  repeat  verses,  but 
in  other  respects  it  is  practically  the  same  as  the  Indian 
tortoise  race. 

Jack  and  the  Candles. 

"School  is  out  and  it  will  be  hours  before  it  is  dark. 
What  shall  I  do  to  fill  in  the  time  ?  "  says  the  healthy  boy. 


\ 


FIG.  266. — Jack  and  the  Candles. 


Well-meaning  parents  sometimes  answer:  "  Come  home,  be 
washed  and  dressed,  and  go  out  with  nurse  for  a  walk." 

Old  Mother  Nature  says:  "Shout,  run,  jump,  and  have 
a  rollicking  good  time.  After  a  good  romp  you  will  need 
no  walk  and  no  nurse.  You  can  wash  yourself  as  clean  as 


324 


Summer 


soap  and  water  will  make  you,  put  on  your  good  clothes, 
and  eat  as  hearty  a  meal  as  your  parents  can  provide; 
study  as  hard  before  bedtime  as  your  young  mind  is  able, 
sleep  as  soundly  as  good  health  will  admit,  and  wake  up  as 
bright  as  a  dollar  next  morning." 

It  is  hard  in  cities  to  find  games  that  can  be  played  in 
the  awful  presence  of  cable  and  trolley  cars  and  big  brass- 
buttoned  policemen,  none  of  whom  have  much  sympathy 
with  boys  or  their  sports,  but  there  are  few  places,  even  in 
crowded  New  York,  that  have  not  a  comparatively  quiet 
side-street  near  by  where  such  a  game  as  Jack  and  the 
Candles  can  be  played  with  little  danger  of  the  direful 
interference  of  the  street  cars  or  policemen. 

Choosing  the  Master. 

There  ought  to  be  at  least  half  a  dozen  boys  in  the 
game.  One  boy  is  chosen  for  master  by  drawing  straws 
previously  described ;  the  boy  holding  the  longest  straw 
is  "master,"  and  the  lad  with  the  shortest  straw  is  poor 
"  Jack."  The  game  begins  by  the  master  sending  Jack  after 
some  candles. 

"Jack!"  calls  the  master  in  a  domineering  manner. 
"  Yes,  sir,"  answers  Jack,  meekly.  "  You  lazy  rascal,  come 
here!"  "Yes,  sir,"  replies  Jack,  edging  cautiously  up. 
"  We  expect  company  to-night,  and  need  more  light;  go  and 
fetch  me  some  candles."  Jack,  apparently  glad  to  escape 
from  the  presence  of  his  master,  hastens  away.  While 
Jack  is  out  of  hearing,  the  other  boys  range  themselves  in 
a  row  on  any  convenient  seat,  and  each  selects  a  name  for 
himself,  as  "Baked  Beans,"  "Tripe,"  "Onions,"  "Mutton 
Chops,"  "  Mush,"  "  Sauerkraut,"  "  Plum  Pudding,"  or  any 
other  set  of  names  they  may  choose. 

After  all  have  chosen  names  and   told  them  to  the  mas« 


Various  Sports  for  Hot  Days          325 

ter,  the  latter,  in  a  loud  tone,  summons  Jack,  who,  of 
course,  comes  back  empty-handed.  This  apparently  en- 
rages the  master,  and  he  threatens  Jack  with  a  pocket- 
handkerchief  that  has  a  knot  in  one  end.  Jack  begins  to 
make  excuses,  saying  that  he  went  to  the  hardware  shop 
and  the  clerk  told  him  he  had  nothing  in  light  ware  except 
tin  lanterns;  at  the  bakery  they  told  him  that  the  only 
light  they  had  for  sale  was  light  bread,  and  the  blacksmith 
told  him  to  light  out,  and  some  one  else  said  that  if  he  did 
not  snuff  himself  out  mighty  quick  he  would  let  daylight 
through  him,  and  the  butcher  that  he  would  sell  him  liver 
and  lights,  etc.  In  fact,  Jack  tries  in  his  excuses  to  be  silly 
or  witty  enough  to  make  the  other  boys  laugh.  The  mas- 
ter then  tells  Jack  that  he  is  light-headed  enough  to  answer 
the  purpose,  and  since  he  has  brought  no  candles  they 
must  eat  in  the  dark.  Then  he  commands  him  to  bring  on 
the  "  sauerkraut,"  or  any  other  name  chosen  by  the  boys. 
It  is 

Now  Jack's  Duty 

to  select  the  one  of  his  playmates  whom  he  thinks  may  have 
chosen  sauerkraut  for  his  name.  If  the  servant  fails,  as  he 
is  most  likely  to  do,  Jack  is  told  to  get  up  on  the  back  of 
the  boy  he  has  selected,  and  that  boy  passes  sentence  on  the 
unlucky  servant  in  this  manner :  "  Master,  let  him  have 
three  hard  eggs  and  three  soft  eggs,"  or  "  four  soft  eggs 
and  two  peppers,"  always  limiting  the  amount  of  the  dish 
to  six.  For  soft  eggs  the  master  gently  flaps  Jack  on  the 
back  with  the  loose  or  soft  end  of  the  handkerchief ;  for 
hard  eggs  he  applies  the  knotted  end ;  for  pepper  he  snaps 
the  handkerchief  at  that  part  of  Jack's  clothes  which  is 
drawn  the  tightest,  after  which  he  is  told  to  try  again  and 
to  bring  on  some  other  dish  named. 

But  if  Jack  selects  the  boy  whose  name  has  been  called, 


326 


Slimmer 


then  that  boy  must  mount  on  Jack's  back  and  Jack  passes 
the  sentence  and  the  master  administers  the  punishment 
accordingly,  giving  him  pepper,  soft  or  hard  eggs,  as  the 
case  may  be,  after  which  Jack  becomes  master.  The  mas- 
ter takes  his  place  in  the  line,  and  the  boy  whose  name  was 
guessed  becomes  Jack  and  is  sent  for  candles,  while  the 


FIG.  267.— Hard-boiled  Eggs. 

others  choose  new  names,  and  so  the  game  goes  on.  Each 
boy  in  the  line  is  careful,  as  a  rule,  not  to  make  Jack's  pun- 
ishment too  severe,  for  fear  Jack  may  guess  his  adopted 
name  and  pay  him  back  in  his  own  coin. 

In  many  cities  in  the  United  States  there  are  hundreds 
of  Jacks  hunting  for  candles  every  summer  evening,  and 
some  that  I  have  heard  of  have  become  so  proficient  in 
their  part  and  create  so  much  fun  by  their  witty  excuses 


Various  Sports  for  Hot  Days          327 

that  the  merry  shouts  of  boyish  laughter  that  greet  their 
remarks  may  be  heard  for  a  block  away.  And  some  boys 
make  excellent  masters,  imitating  with  rare  ability  the 
harsh,  unreasonable  language  of  a  churl  in  authority,  while 
Sauerkraut,  Baked  Beans,  Pickles,  and  Mush  sit  in  a  line 
on  curbstone  or  fence  and  applaud  their  young  dramatic 
stars. 

Bowlder  On  ;  or,  Duck  on  a  Rock. 

It  was  hot.  The  boards  of  the  lumber-piles  visibly 
shrank  and  lost  color  under  the  direct  rays  of  the  sun. 
The  yellow-clay  banks  of  the  river  dried  and  cracked  until 
what  was  lately  mud  now  appeared  to  be  a  mosaic  work 
of  irregular  flat  stones.  Between  the  bricks  of  the  uneven 
sidewalks  the  ants  were  busy  piling  up  little  cones  of  dry 
pellets  of  yellow  earth.  The  angle-worms  had  retreated 
so  far  below  that  a  spade  would  scarcely  reach  them, 
and  on  the  gate-post  the  song  sparrow  perched  himself, 
that  being  the  most  exposed  and  unprotected  spot  avail- 
able, and  there  he  gleefully  sang  his  little  tune.  In  the 
vacant  lots  the  bumble-bees  buzzed  and  feasted  on  the  red 
clover  that  grew  among  the  weeds. 

Where  were  the  boys  on  this  hot  day  ?  All  were  in 
swimming,  except  those  who  had  already  soaked  them- 
selves in  the  water  until  the  ends  of  their  fingers  shrivelled 
up  like  a  washer-woman's.  And  these  lads  were  gathered 
under  the  wide-spreading  branches  of  a  giant  oak  playing 
"  Bowlder  On,"  the  local  name  for  "  Duck  on  a  Rock,"  and 
the  author  of  this  book  was  with  them  gaining  his  first 
knowledge  of  the  charms  of  this  simple  but  popular  game. 

How  the  Game  is  Played. 

It  is  not  customary  to  count  out  for  the  one  who  is  to  bs 
"It"  in  this  game.  As  soon  as  the  game  is  proposed  each 


328  Summer 


boy  searches  for  a  cobble-stone,  and  when  he  finds  one 
announces  the  fact  by  shouting  "  My  duck  !  "  The  last 
boy  to  shout  is  "  It,"  and  he  cries  "  My  drake !  "  and 
places  his  cobble-stone  or  small  bowlder  on  the  larger  one 
selected  for  the  purpose  and  stands  guard  over  his  drake. 

The  other  players  stand  at  a  taw  or  scratch  line  and 
throw  their  ducks  at  the  drake  with  the  purpose  of 
knocking  it  from  its  perch.  Each  player  who  has  thrown 
and  missed  must  recover  his  duck  and  run  the  risk  of  be- 
ing caught  by  the  lad  guarding  the  drake.  The  guardian 
stands  by  the  rock,  but  cannot  tag  a  playfellow  until  the 
latter  has  touched  his  duck.  Often  all  the  boys  make  a 
rush  for  their  ducks  at  the  same  time,  each  one  trusting 
to  luck  that  he  will  have  the  good  fortune  to  escape 
over  the  taw-line  free,  and  sometimes  they  all  escape. 
More  frequently,  however,  some  one  of  the  crowd  re- 
ceives a  tag  from  the  guardian  of  the  drake,  and  he  must 
then  drop  his  duck  and  assume  the  guardian's  place, 
while  the  latter  picks  up  the  duck  and  joins  the  rest  of 
the  crowd  of  duck-throwers  at  taw-line. 

If  at  any  time  one  of  the  players  succeeds  in  knocking 
the  drake  off  of  his  perch  then  all  the  boys  scramble  for 
their  ducks  that  are  scattered  around,  and  the  guardian,  or 
"  It,"  as  quickly  as  possible  replaces  his  drake,  for  he  may 
not  tag  any  one  until  his  drake  is  in  place. 

There  is  always  an  appearance  of  danger  in  this  game 
on  account  of  the  flying  bowlders,  but  the  danger  is  only 
apparent  and  is  nothing  like  as  real  as  it  is  in  base-ball  or 
foot-ball.  "  Bowlder  On,"  however,  is  quite  exciting. 

Nine-  and  Ten-Pins. 

Because  some  people  used  nine-pins  as  a  gambling  game, 
the  authorities  thought  to  stamp  out  the  evil  by  making  the 


Various  Sports  for  Hot  Days          329 


FIG.  268.— Brick  Skittles. 


game  unlawful.    But  after  the 

law    against     nine  -  pins    was 

passed  the  proprietors  of  the 

bowling  alleys  hung  out  signs 

"  TVtf-pins   played   here,"  and 

as  the  law  said  nothing  about 

ten-pins   the  authorities  were 

unable  to  interfere.     Ten-pins 

thus    became    the    American 

game.    At  first  all  games  with 

balls  and  pins  as  bowls   and 

skittles  were  out-door  games 

and  played  on  smooth,  level  grass-plots  similar  to  the  old 

Bowling  Green  in  New  York  City. 

Skittles 

is  an  old  English  name  for  wooden  pins  and  the  game  in 
which  they  were  used.     The  game  of 

Bowls 

was  like  a  game  of  marbles,  with  this 
difference,  that  in  place  of  shooting  a 
small  marble  from  the  fingers  a  large 
wooden  ball  was  rolled  at  a  number  of 
other  wooden  balls  placed  some  dis- 
tance away  on  the  green. 


a 

n 

a 

a 

0 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

British  Skittles. 

British  skittles  is  a  game  allied  in 
character  to  bowls.    In  the  last  century 
skittles  was  a  fashionable  game.     An 
old  print  of  1786  represents  a  skittle- 
FIG.  269.— American  Bowls,    alley   of    that   period.      The    alley   is 


330 


Summer 


fringed  with  poplars,  and  has  at  one  end  a  summer-house. 
Here  three  gentlemen  in  cocked  hats  read  the  news 
and  partake  of  refreshments.  More  refreshments  are  car- 
ried by  a  waiter.  Old-fashioned  "dudes"  in  cocked  hats 
look  on,  while  a  friend  rolls  a  ball  at  the  pins.  The  moral 

is: 

"  In  Reason's  Eye  the  world's  a  Skittle  Ground 

In  which  mankind  will  tott'ring  pins  be  found." 

Skittles  in  China  and  Persia. 

The  book  which  is  adorned  with  these  reflections  is  a 
complete  guide  to  "  Old  and  New  Methods  of  Forming 
General  Goes  and  Tips,"  and  includes  a  discourse  on  the 
Chinese  and  Persian  modes  of  playing  skittles.  From  this 
it  appears  that  skittles  in  olden  times  was  considered  a 
most  scientific  affair.  The  frame  (the  name  of  the  arrange- 
ment of  pins)  and  other  features  of  the  game  were  all 
calculated  on  mathematical  principles,  with  arcs  and  curves 
and  plenty  of  goodly  learning. 

The  Chinese  use  twenty-five  pins,  and  the  game  counts 
457  points.  The  different  pins  are  called  Tong-hw,  Tsi-shu, 
Nang-Mw,  etc.,  and  refer  to  the  resemblance  between  the 
standing  pins  and  a  wood  or  forest.  The  Persians  set  up 
the  pins  in  concentric  circles — that  is,  one  circle  inside  an- 
other circle — and  use  seventeen  pins.  The  ball  was  like 
that  used  in  English  bowls. 

Such  are  the  rude  outlines  of  British  and  foreign 
skittles ;  but  mastery  of  the  details  of  the  game  can  be 
acquired  only  by  special  aptitude  and  serious  application, 
and  is  hardly  to  be  attained  by  an  American  boy,  who  has 
EO  many  equally  good  games  at  hand.  According  to  an 
old  English  book  of  games,  skittles  proper  is  what  we  call 
nine-pins. 


Various  Sports  for  Hot  Days          33 1 


Brick  Skittles. 

Ordinary  bricks,  or,  as  the  Ohio  boys  call  them,  "  brick 
bats,"  make  good  skittles,  and  cobble-stones  will  make 
very  fair  bowls  for  a  game.  On  a  vacant  lot  or  open  space 
draw  a  diamond-shaped  figure  and  set  up  three  rows  of 
bricks  at  equal  distances  from  each  other.  At  a  distance 
agreed  upon  from  this  "  frame  "  draw  the  scratch  or  taw- 
line,  and  with  your  cobble-stones  or  small  bowlders  bowl 
the  bricks  down  as  you  would  the  pins  in  a  bowling-alley. 
Count  a  point  for  every  brick 
fairly  upset.  Make  the  game 
as  many  points  as  you  wish,  and 
take  turns  in  bowling. 

Fours 

is  played  in  the  same  way  as 
nine-pins  or  skittles,  with  the 
exception  that  bricks  are  used 
for  nine-pins,  and  that  only  four 
bricks  are  set  up  in  the  frame, 
one  at  each  of  the  four  corners 
of  the  diamond. 


FlG.  270.— Frame  of  Four  Bricks. 


Dutch  Pins. 

In  the  real  game  of  Dutch  pins 
the  skittles  are  larger  and  taller  than 
in  the  other  games  here  described, 
but  as  bricks  are  made  of  one  size  you 
will  use  the  same  bricks  for  Dutch 
pins  that  you  do  for  nine-pins,  but  a 
square  is  used  in  place  of  a  diamond  for  the  frame,  and  nine 
bricks  are  set  up  in  three  lines. 


D 
D 

D 
D 
D 

D 
D 
D 

FIG.  271.— Dutch  Pins. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 
TIP-CAT 

How  the  Cat  is  Made  — English-Cat  — Country-Cat  — American-Cat— 
A  Game  Requiring  Skill  and  Quickness. 

THERE  are  many  quaint  laws  in  this  and  other  countries 
that  are  never  enforced,  and  there  are  many  games  in  boys1 
books  that  are  never  played.  Once  on  a  time  the  old  laws 
were  active  and  were  obeyed;  and  once  on  a  time  some 
boys  somewhere  played  the  old  games,  but  to-day  they  are 
dead. 

Trap-ball  is  one  of  these  dead  games,  but  Tip-Cat  is  a 
revival  of  the  old  game  and  is  anything  but  dead.  Not 
only  does  it  show  signs  of  renewed  popularity,  but  it  is 
spreading  rapidly  all  over  the  world  where  there  are  boys 
to  play.  It  is  popular  all  along  the  Atlantic  Coast,  in  Ger- 
many, Italy,  and  even  in  Hindostan.  Fifty  years  ago  Tip- 
Cat  was  practically  confined  to  the  rustics  in  England,  and 
fifteen  years  ago  was  uncommon  in  the  United  States  and 
unknown  in  many  sections. 

The  Cat 

is  a  piece  of  wood  about  half  a  foot  long  and  two  inches  in 
diameter  at  the  middle,  from  which  it  narrows  down  to  a 
point  at  each  end,  forming  two  elongated  cones  joined  at 
their  bases  (Fig.  272).  When  the  cat  is  placed  upon  the 
ground  and  struck  upon  either  end  with  a  stick  it  will  fly 
up  in  the  air. 


Tip- Cat 


333 


FIG.  272,        FIG.  273. 


English  Cat. 

In  this  game  there  are  from  four  to  eight  bases,  accord- 
ing to  the  number  of  players.  Usually  the  bases  are  simply 
holes  in  the  ground,  like  "  roily  poly  "  or  "  nigger  baby  " 
holes.  These  bases  are  arranged  on  the  circumference 
of  a  circle  at  equal  distances  apart.  The  Outs  take  the 
field,  and  the  Ins,  each  with  a  stick  for  a  bat,  station  them- 
selves at  the  bases  or  holes.  One  of  the  fielders  toss- 
es the  cat  to  the  nearest  batsman.  The  latter  endeavors  to 
strike  it,  and  if  he  hits  the  cat  then  all  the  boys  on  the 
bases  must  change  places.  If  the  cat  has  been  knocked  a 
long  distance  they  continue 
to  run  from  one  base  to  an- 
other as  long  as  they  feel 
safe  in  doing  so.  Each  base 
gained  scores  a  point,  but  if 
one  of  the  Outs  catches  the 
cat  the  striker  who  struck  it 
is  out,  and  if  one  of  the  Outs 
stops  the  cat  and  throws  it 
in  front  of  a  player  after  he 
has  quitted  one  base  and  be- 
fore he  reaches  the  other, 
that  player  is  crossed  out. 

When  all  are  out  the  oth- 
er side  take  the  bases  and 
have  an  inning,  while  those 
lately  at  the  bat  take  to  the 
field  and  toss  the  cat  as  be-  FlG-  274* 

fore    described.       When    a       FlGS'  372-274.-Cat,  Bat,  and  Player. 

striker  misses  the  cat  he  tosses  it  back  to  the  fielder,  and 
the  latter  tries  another  toss. 


334  Summer 


Country  Cat. 

Make  a  ring  on  the  ground  as  large  as  a  big  circus 
ring,  and  stand  the  striker  in  the  centre.  The  fielder  or 
fielders,  as  the  case  may  be,  stand  inside  the  ring  in  front  of 
the  striker,  and  toss  him  the  cat.  If  the  boy  at  the  bat 
misses,  it  counts  nothing ;  if  he  hits  and  fails  to  knock  the 
cat  outside  the  circle,  he  is  out.  If  a  fielder  catches  the  cat 
when  struck  by  the  stick  of  the  batter,  the  batter  is  out. 

When  the  striker  succeeds  in  sending  the  cat  outside  of 
the  ring,  he  carefully  measures  the  distance  with  his  eye, 
and  calls  out  "  Twenty,"  "  Thirty,"  or  "  Seventy,"  as  the 
case  may  be,  and  if  his  call  is  not  disputed,  his  score  is 
credited  with  that  number.  But  if  the  fielders  challenge 
the  score,  the  stick  used  by  the  striker  for  a  bat  is  used  as  a 
measuring  rod,  and  the  distance  is  measured  from  the  point 
where  the  striker  stands  to  the  spot  where  the  cat  has  fallen. 

If  it  is  found  that  the  striker  has  claimed  too  much  he 
scores  nothing,  and  resigns  his  stick  to  the  fielder  whose 
turn  comes  next.  But  if  it  is  discovered  that  there  are 
twenty-one  stick-lengths  where  the  striker  has  only  claimed 
twenty,  or  seventy-two  where  he  has  only  claimed  sixty- 
eight,  that  is,  if  it  is  found  by  measurement  that  he  has  not 
claimed  too  much,  he  is  credited  with  the  number  called 
and  the  game  goes  on. 

Where  there  are  more  than  one  fielder  they  decide 
among  themselves  the  numbers  they  take.  Number  One 
has  the  first  inning,  and  Number  Two's  inning  begins  when 
Number  One  is  out,  etc. 

American  Cat. 

The  American  cat  is  smaller  than  the  Country  or 
English  cat,  the  double  cone  not  being  over  four  or  five 


Tip- Cat  335 

inches  long.  If  the  game  is  played  on  the  sidewalk,  as  the 
boys  play  it  in  New  York  City,  a  small  circle  is  drawn  on 
the  paving  stones,  where  the  striker  stands;  but  if  the 
game  is  played  on  the  bare  earth,  a  hole  is  made,  where 
the  striker  stands.  It  is  the  duty  of  the  batsman  to  defend 
the  hole  or  ring  with  the  stick  he  uses  for  a  bat,  and  it 
is  the  object  of  the  giver  or  pitcher  to  toss  the  cat  in  the 
circle  or  hole. 

If  he  is  successful,  the  striker  is  out.  If,  on  the  other 
hand,  it  falls  outside  the  circle,  the  striker  places  the  cat 
inside  the  ring,  strikes  it  on  one  end,  which  causes  the 
little  piece  of  wood  to  fly  up  in  the  air,  and  before  it 
reaches  the  ground  the  striker  endeavors  to  hit  it  again 
and  send  the  cat  as  far  as  possible. 


If  he  Misses 

he  throws  the  cat  back  to  the  fielder,  who  again  attempts 
to  toss  it  into  the  circle,  but  if  he  succeeds  in  sending  it 
a  good  distance  he  does  not  call  his  score,  as  described  in 
Country  Cat,  but  the  pitcher  offers  him  five  points  or  ten, 
as  the  case  may  be.  The  striker,  however,  is  not  compelled 
to  accept  the  offer,  and  may  keep  the  pitcher  bidding  for 
some  time,  and  if  his  last  bid  is  refused  the  pitcher 
proceeds  to  measure  the  distance  from  the  circle  to  the  cat 
in  jumps.  If  he  can  make  the  distance  in  fewer  jumps  than 
he  has  bid,  the  striker,  or  the  striker's  side,  loses  the  num- 
ber of  points  named  in  the  last  bid  of  the  pitcher,  and  the 
striker  is  out. 

Sometimes  the  score  is  measured  by  feet,  that  is,  the 
length  of  the  pitcher's  foot  is  the  unit  of  measure,  or  one 
point  in  the  score.  If  a  fielder  or  the  pitcher  catches  the 
cat  when  struck  by  the  batter,  the  batter  is  out. 


CHAPTER  XXIX 
GAMES  OF   BALL 

How  Town-Ball  is  Played— One  or  Two  Old-Cat—House-Ball—Hand 
Up— Bailie  Gallic— Crackabout— Over  the  Barn— Stool-Ball— Corner- 
Ball—  Black  Baby— Hat-Ball. 

IT  is  almost  a  waste  of  space  to  describe  in  detail  any 
of  the  National  popular  games,  such  as  base-ball,  as  the 
rules  which  govern  them  for  one  year  will  not  answer 
for  the  next.  And,  furthermore,  there  is  possibly  not  a 
reader  of  this  book  that  does  not  keep  himself  thoroughly 
posted  upon  such  games.  But  there  is  the  "  father "  of 
base-ball,  which  is  a  first-rate  game,  and  not  played  enough 
to  be  constantly  changing  its  form  and  rules.  In  England, 
this  game,  or  its  immediate  ancestor,  is  called  Rounders, 
and  possibly  it  may  go  by  this  name  in  some  parts  of  the 
United  States,  but  in  the  West  it  was  formerly  called 

Town-Ball. 

The  ball  and  bat  used  in  Town-Ball  are  both  different 
from  those  used  in  base-ball.  In  place  of  bases  there  are 
corners,  in  place  of  a  pitcher  there  is  a  giver,  and  the  field- 
ers are  of  any  number,  with  no  distinctive  names. 

The  Ball 

is  sometimes  a  small  rubber  ball,  such  as  can  be  found  at 
most  toy -stores  —  not  those   of  solid   rubber,  which  are 


Games  of  Ball 


337 


generally  black  in  color  and  too  heavy,  but  the  hollow 
ones  of  a  whitish  color.  The  real  town-ball,  however,  is  a 
home-made  affair,  consisting  of  a  small  ball  of  tightly  wound 
yarn,  usually  unravelled  by  the  boys  from  old  yarn  socks, 
and  wound  up  into  a  spherical  form.  This  is  covered  with 
leather  that  is  cut  in  the  form  of  a  three-leaved  clover,  or 
may  be  you  will  understand  better  if  it  is  likened  to  an 


FIG.  275. 


FlG.  275,  276.— Town-ball ;  showing 
How  it  is  Made. 


FIG.  277.— Delilling. 


FIG.  278. 


orange-peel  when  you  make  three  cuts  in  the  orange-skin 
and  then  take  the  rind  off  without  breaking  it  (Fig.  275). 
This  leather  covering  is  sewed  on  the  ball  with  shoemaker's 
thread  by  means  of  an  awl  and  a  waxed-end,  and  should  fit 
tightly  and  evenly  without  wrinkles.  A  well-made  ball  is 
a  work  of  art  that  boys  are  proud  of  exhibiting  and  talk- 
ing about. 

The  Bat 

is  either  very  short,  resembling  a  dwarf  base-ball  bat  (Fig. 
277),  and  is  called  a  "  delill,"  or  it  is  broad  and  flat  after  the 
fashion  of  a  cricket-bat  (Fig.  278). 


22 


Summer 


The  Corners 

are  usually  three  in  number,  with  a  home-base,  making  four, 
but  this  varies  according  to  the  whim  of  the  players  or  the 
locality  where  the  game  is  played.  Ordinarily  with  three 
corners  the  distances  are  about  the  same  as  between  the 
bases  in  base-ball.  In  place  of  home-base  there  is  a  rec- 
tangle marked  on  the  ground  where  the  striker  and  catcher 
stand. 

The  Giver 

stands  in  the  same  position  that  the  pitcher  occupies  in  a 
game  of  base-ball ;  but  in  place  of  pitching  or  making  the 
underhand  throw,  he  throws  overhand  and  "gives"  the 

ball  to  the  catcher  over  the 
right  shoulder  of  the  batter. 

The  Batter 

stands  at  the  front  line  of 
the  home-base  and  holds  his 
bat  above  his  shoulder  and 
strikes  from  that  position, 
with  both  hands  grasping 
the  handle  of  the  bat,  if  he 
is  using  a  flat  bat.  But  if 
he  is  using  a  "delill"  he 
holds  it  with  one  hand  and 
allows  the  swiftly  thrown 
ball  to  strike  his  club  and 
FIG.  279.— Game  of  Town-bail.  glance  off  at  an  angle  to  a 

part  of  the  grounds  where 

no  fielders  are  on  the  outlook  for  it.  Every  time  the  ball 
touches  the  bat  it  is  considered  a  fair  hit,  and  the  batter 
must  run  for  his  first  corner  and  reach  it,  if  possible,  before 


Games  of  Ball  339 


some  fielder,  the  catcher,  or  giver  secures  the  ball  and 
"  burns  "  or  "  stings  "  him,  as  they  call  it  when  they  hit  a 
player  with  the  ball.  No  one  stands  on  guard  at  the 
bases  to  catch  the  batter  out,  and  the  ball,  in  place  of  being 
thrown  to  the  base,  is  thrown  at  the  man  running  the  corners. 
When  one  batter  makes  a  hit  or  is  put  out  the  next  batter 
takes  his  place,  as  fn  base-ball. 

The  Catcher 

stands  behind  the  bat  and  without  gloves,  and  with  no  pro- 
tection for  his  face  or  body  he  catches  the  "hot"  balls  the 
giver  sends  to  him.  The  balls  are  not  heavy  enough  to  be 
dangerous. 

The  Fielders 

scatter  themselves  over  the  field,  according  to  the  direc- 
tions of  the  captain,  and  try  to  catch  or  stop  all  balls  from 
the  bat,  or  those  that  are  thrown  at  and  miss  the  runners 
between  corners. 

When  Out. 

When  a  man  is  out  he  is  out  until  the  next  inning,  and 
the  game  proceeds  without  him.  If  a  striker  sends  a  ball  in 
the  air  and  it  is  caught  before  it  touches  the  ground  by  the 
giver,  the  catcher,  or  any  one  of  the  fielders,  the  batter  is 
out.  If  the  ball  touches  his  bat  it  is  counted  a  hit,  and  if  it 
is  caught  by  any  one  of  the  opposite  side  he  is  out. 

If  any  one  of  the  fielders,  the  catcher,  or  giver  make 
a  successful  throw  at  a  man  running  the  corners  and 
strikes  him  with  the  ball  when  he  is  not  touching  his  cor- 
ner, he  is  out. 

If  the  batter  misses  a  ball  that  he  strikes  at,  and  the 
catcher  catches  the  ball  before  it  strikes  the  ground,  the 
batter  is  out. 


340  Summer 


When  a  man  is  put  out,  he  is  out  for  that  inning,  and 
cannot  strike  again  until  the  next  inning  for  his  side. 
When  all  are  out  but  one,  that  one  has  a  very  difficult  task 
to  make  a  score,  unless  he  can  make  a  home-run  strike. 
There  are  no  other  batters  to  help  him  by  sending  a  "  sky- 
scraper"  over  the  fielders'  heads;  but  he  must  run  his  cor- 
ners while  the  giver  and  catcher,  standing  in  their  regular 
position,  pass  the  ball  between  them.  This  always  pro- 
duces a  great  deal  of  excitement  and  sport,  as  all  the 
batter's  side  coach  him,  and  if  he  succeeds  in  stealing  a 
corner  or  successfully  dodges  the  ball  thrown  at  him,  he  is 
greeted  by  wild  cheers  from  his  own  side. 

Should  he  at  last  succeed  in  reaching  home-base  un- 
touched, he  has  the  privilege  of  "putting  in"  the  best 
batter  on  his  side,  and  there  are  then  two  men  in  and  a 
better  chance  to  score. 

Any  number  of  boys  may  play  in  one  game,  and  since 
all  the  really  necessary  properties  consist  of  a  ball  and  a 
bat,  both  home  made,  it  makes  a  game  much  better  suited 
to  boys  than  base-ball,  with  all  its  array  of  expensive  balls, 
bats,  bases,  home  plates,  armor,  wire  masks,  sliding  gaunt- 
lets, and  gloves.  As  far  as  skill  is  concerned,  no  good  town- 
ball  player  need  hang  his  head  in  the  presence  of  the  best 
of  base-ball  players. 

Fig.  279  shows  the  proper  method  of  laying  out  the 
field.  In  this  case,  wands,  with  colored  flags  on  them,  are 
stuck  into  the  ground  for  corners.  These  are  strong 
enough,  for  the  runner  only  touches  them  with  his  hand 
and  does  not  fall  all  over  them,  or  slide  to  them,  as  in  base- 
ball. The  distances  between  bases  are  regulated  according 
to  circumstances  and  the  dimensions  of  the  play-ground. 


Games  of  Ball  341 


One  or  Two  Old  Cat,  Striking  Out,  or  Feeder. 

This  is  town-ball  modified  to  suit  the  occasion  when 
only  three  or  four  boys  play  the  game.  Of  course  a  giver, 
a  catcher,  and  a  batter  are  necessary,  but  there  is  usually 
only  one  corner  for  the  batter  to  run.  Generally  the  run 
is  from  home  to  the  pitcher's  stand  and  back  again.  If 
the  game  is  played  with  a  small  ball  the  runner  must  be 
"stung"  with  the  ball;  if  played  with  a  base-ball,  he  must 
be  touched  with  the  ball  while  in  the  hand  of  the  pitcher  or 
catcher.  In  other  particulars  the  rules  of  the  previous 
game  govern  this.  When  the  striker  is  on  his  corner  the 
catcher  and  giver,  or  pitcher,  pass  the  ball  back  and  for- 
ward, between  them,  while  he  tries  to  run  home. 

When  there  is  only  one  striker,  the  game  is  One  Old 
Cat;  when  there  are  two  strikers,  it  is  called  Two  Old  Cat, 
the  game  being  named  according  to  the  number  of  strikers. 

House-ball. 

In  this  game  the  house  takes  the  place  of  the  pitcher  or 
giver.  Two  boys,  a  batter  and  a  catcher,  stand  facing  a 
blank  wall,  usually  the  side  of  a  brick  house.  The  catcher 
throws  the  ball  against  the  side  of  the  house  and  as  it 
rebounds  the  striker,  or  batter,  endeavors  to  hit  it,  and  then 
runs  to  the  house  and  back  home  before  the  catcher  can 
touch  him  with  the  ball.  If  the  batter  misses  the  ball  and 
the  latter  is  caught  by  the  catcher,  the  batter  is  out,  and 
must  take  the  catcher's  place.  If  the  striker  reaches  the 
house,  but  is  unable  to  return  before  the  catcher  secures 
the  ball,  the  catcher  throws  the  ball  against  the  house  and 
catches  it  on  the  rebound,  and  the  runner  is  expected  to 
run  in  home,  or  attempts  to  do  so  before  four  balls  are 


342 


Summer 


passed.     Otherwise  the  striker  is  out,  and  must  give  up  his 
bat  to  the  catcher  and  take  his  place  behind  the  bat. 

Hand  Up. 

The  blank  side-wall  of  a  brick  house  and  a  bit  of  hard, 
flat  ground  form  an  ideal  field  for  Hand  Up.  With  a  sharp 
stick  trace  three  sides  of  a  square  on  the  hard  ground  i.i 
front  of  the  wall,  and  let  the  wall  form  the  fourth  side  and 
complete  the  square.  These  are  the  boundary  lines.  Make 


W  A 


Fl  E.LD 


FIG.  280.— Hands  Up. 

another  line  on  the  wall,  three  feet  from  the  ground,  and  a 
taw  line,  nine  feet  from  the  wall,  on  the  ground,  and 
you  are  ready  to  choose  up  for  sides  or  toss  for  "  first  hand 
up."  You  may  have  one  on  a  side,  or  as  many  as  you 
choose  ;  there  is  no  limit. 

First  Hand  Up  takes  a  small  rubber  town-ball  or  a  base- 
ball and  drops  it  in  the  square  at  the  taw  line,  so  that  it  will 
bound,  or  bounce,  as  the  boys  would  say.  As  the  ball  rises 
from  the  earth  the  player  strikes  it  with  the  flat  of  his 
hand,  sending  the  ball  against  the  wall,  above  the  three-foot 
line,  with  sufficient  force  to  cause  it  to  rebound  and  fall 


Games  of  Ball  343 


outside  the  taw  line.  The  next  player  uses  his  hand  as  a 
bat,  and  sends  the  ball  back  against  the  house  in  the  same 
manner.  He  must  hit  the  ball  on  the  first  bound  or  before 
it  has  touched  the  earth.  The  next  player  is  ready  to  take 
his  turn  and  strikes  the  ball  on  the  rebound,  and  so  the 
game  proceeds,  until  someone  misses,  or  sends  the  ball 
below  the  three-foot  mark  or  outside  the  boundaries. 

If  it  is  the  first  striker  who  misses  or  sends  the  ball  out 
of  the  boundaries  on  the  ground  or  side  of  the  house,  then 
he  loses  his  inning,  and  the  boy  on  the  other  side  drops  the 
ball  and  strikes  it  as  already  described. 

If  it  is  a  player  on  "outs"  that  makes  a  miss,  then  the 
"inners"  count  one  for  each  miss  or  foul.  A  foul  is  when 
the  ball  goes  below  the  three-foot  line  on  the  house  or 
rebounds  outside  the  boundaries. 

The  Outs  cannot  count  when  the  Ins  miss,  but  they 
take  the  place  of  the  Ins  and  the  Ins  are  out.  After  the 
first  hand  up  or  play  it  is  unnecessary  that  the  ball  should 
rebound  beyond  the  taw  line.  Fifteen  points  make  a  game. 
In  England  the  boys  have  the  same  game  under  the  name 
of  Fives. 

Bailie  Gallic. 

As  in  the  preceding  game  the  ball  is  thrown  against  the 
house  while  all  the  players  group  themselves  around  the 
giver.  As  soon  as  the  latter  sends  his  ball  against  the 
house  he  shouts  the  name  of  one  of  his  playmates  who  must 
catch  the  ball  on  the  rebound.  If  he  misses  or  drops  the 
ball  the  other  boys  scatter  in  every  direction,  but  come  to 
a  halt  when  he  picks  up  the  ball  and  cries,  "  Stand!  "  He 
then  selects  a  victim  and  throws  the  ball  at  him.  If  he  hits 
the  boy  aimed  at,  the  latter  throws  the  ball  against  the 
house,  and  the  game  goes  on,  but  if  he  misses  he  must  stand 


344  Summer 

against  the  wall  with  head  down  and  allow  each  of  the  other 
players  to  have  one  throw  at  him  with  the  ball  from  a 
distance  of  ten  paces. 

Crackabout 

is  played  with  a  town-ball  or  a  soft  rubber  ball.  For  noise 
and  activity  Crackabout  excels  all  other  games.  The  boy 
owning  the  ball  cries  "Crackabout!"  and  throws  the 
missile  at  his  nearest  comrade.  All  the  others  make  a  mad 
rush  to  gain  possession  of  the  ball,  and  as  soon  as  one  of 
their  number  has  secured  it,  the  others  make  an  equally 
mad  rush  to  escape ;  and  alternately  rushing  together  to 
secure  the  ball  and  scattering  far  apart  to  escape  being  hit 
by  it,  shouting  and  laughing,  the  boys  are  soon  tired  out 
and  are  ready  to  rest  or  play  some  quieter  game.  Twenty 
years  ago  Crackabout  was  the  favorite  recess  game  in 
Southern  Ohio  and  Northern  Kentucky,  and  when  the 
boys  came  in  at  the  call  of  the  bell  they  were  all  mopping 
their  heads  with  their  handkerchiefs,  and  brighter  eyes  and 
rosier  cheeks  never  faced  a  tired  and  patient  school-teacher 
than  those  which  came  fresh  from  a  rollicking  game  of 
Crackabout. 

Over  the  Barn,  House  Over  or  Haley  Over. 

Choose  up  for  sides.  When  all  are  ready,  form  two 
separate  groups,  one  on  each  side  of  a  house  or  barn.  The 
boy  with  the  ball  cries,  "  House  over !  "  and  throws  the 
ball  over  the  house  where  the  others  are  watching  for  its 
appearance  in  the  hopes  of  catching  it  before  it  touches  the 
ground.  If  they  are  successful  in  this,  the  boy  who  makes 
the  catch  rushes  around  the  house  and  throws  the  ball  at 
some  one  on  the  other  side. 

Since  there  is  no  way  for  the  side  who  threw  the  ball  to 


Games  of  Ball  345 


know  whether  or  not  it  was  caught  until  the  lad  from  the 
other  side  appears  with  it  in  his  hand,  it  is  no  wonder  that 
there  should  be  wild  cries  and  a  scurrying  of  feet  upon  the 
sudden  appearance  of  the  boy  with  the  ball. 

If  the  latter  hits  one  of  the  other  side,  the  boy  hit  must 
follow  his  captor,  who  returns  to  his  own  side  of  the  house 
with  his  prisoner,  shouts,  "Over  the  house!"  and  throws 
the  ball.  Each  miss  counts  nothing.  Each  catch  brings 
with  it  the  right  to  invade  the  enemies'  camp,  and  to  select 
a  victim  and  even  run  after  him,  so  as  to  shorten  the  dis- 
tance and  increase  the  chance  of  hitting  him  with  the  ball. 
Each  boy  hit  joins  the  side  of  the  boy  who  threw  the  ball, 
and  the  game  ends  only  when  all  the  players  are  gathered 
upon  one  side  of  the  house.  This  game  will  do  for  the 
suburbs  of  cities  and  villages,  where  detached  houses  of 
moderate  height  are  to  be  found. 

In  olden  times 

Stool-ball 

appears  to  have  been  quite  a  popular  game,  but  it  never 
took  root  in  American  soil. 

The  second  Christmas  after  the  founding  of  the  colony 
of  Massachusetts,  Governor  Bradford  took  the  balls  and 
stools  away  from  the  players  ;  and  he  it  must  be  who  is 
responsible  for  the  killing  of  the  ancient  game  in  America, 
for  apparently  it  never  revived. 

Corner-ball. 

The  number  of  corners  depends  upon  the  number  of 
players.  If  you  have  six  boys,  then  there  are  three  corners, 
making  the  boundaries  of  a  triangular  form.  If  you  have 
eight  boys,  then  there  are  four  corners,  and  the  boundaries 
form  a  square.  There  should  be  more  than  four  players, 


346  Slimmer 


because  with  this  number  you  would  have  only  two  bases 
and  the  boundaries  would  be  a  straight  line. 

The  Ins  take  the  bases  and  the  Outs  group  themselves 
inside  the  triangle,  square,  or  whatever  the  figure  may  be 
formed  by  the  corners.  The  Ins  pass  the  ball  around  the 
corners,  throwing  and  catching  until  they  see  a  good  chance 
to  hit  one  of  the  Outs  grouped  inside  the  boundaries.  The 
ball  is  then  thrown  at  the  Outs,  and  if  it  hits  one  he  is  out 
of  the  game ;  and  if  it  misses,  the  thrower  is  out  of  the 
game.  But,  if  one  of  those  in  the  centre  catch  the  ball, 
there  is  a  laugh  and  the  ball  is  thrown  back  to  a  corner 
man  with  no  score  either  way. 

When  all  of  one  side  are  put  out  of  the  game  the 
opposite  side  has  won,  and  all  are  entitled  to  a  throw  with 
the  ball  at  the  boy  on  the  losing  side  who  was  first  put 
Out.  The  victim  stands  with  head  down  and  back  arched 
facing  a  wall,  while  the  victors  line  themselves  at  thirty 
feet  distant  and  take  turns  "  burning  "  the  captive — that  is, 
hitting  him  with  the  ball — if  they  can.  It  must  be  remem- 
bered that  the  dangerous  base-ball  is  never  used  in  these 
games,  and  the  other  ball  does  no  injury  to  the  lad  struck. 

Black  Baby. 

A  much  noisier  and  more  active  game  is  that  of  Black 
Baby.  It  is  a  game  of  ball  and  can  only  be  played  in  such 
parts  of  the  city  as  still  possess  bare  earth,  level  and  soft 
enough  for  the  series  of  shallow  holes  necessary  for  the 
game. 

There  must  be  a  hole  for  each  player,  and  a  common, 
hollow  India-rubber  ball  or  a  soft  yarn  ball  covered  with 
leather.  On  no  account  use  a  hard  ball,  as  the  game  is  too 
rough  for  the  use  of  a  missile  that  can  do  injury  when 
thrown  with  force. 


Games  of  Ball 


347 


First,  with  your  heel  make  a  number  of  holes  about 
three  feet  apart  and  all  in  a  line,  one  hole  for  each  boy  in 
the  game.  When  there  is  a  shallow  hole  for  each  boy  let 
every  boy  stand  by  and  guard  his  particular  hollow,  while 
the  boy  at  one  end  attempts  to  roll  the  ball  slowly  over  the 
line  of  the  holes,  so  that  it  will  rest  in  the  hole  at  the  ex- 
treme end  in  front  of  the  lad  at  the  opposite  end.  In  case 
the  ball  passes  safely  over,  the  player  at  the  other  end  rolls 
it  back  again  in  the  same  manner. 


FIG.  281.— Game  of  Black  Baby. 

This  cannot  go  on  long  before  the  ball  stops  in  one  ot 
the  holes.  As  soon  as  this  happens  all  the  players  except 
the  one  at  the  hole  where  the  ball  stops  scamper  away  for 
dear  life,  shouting,  "  Black  baby  !  Black  baby  ! "  while  the 
remaining  lad  seizes  the  ball  as  quickly  as  possible  and 
throws  it  (a  New  York  boy  would  say  "fires  it")  with 
might  and  main  at  his  nearest  playmate.  If  he  fails  to  hit 
the  fleeing  mark  all  return  to  their  places,  and  a  little  piece 
of  coal,  a  "  black  baby,"  is  put  in  the  hole  lately  occupied  by 
the  ball ;  but  if  he  strikes  the  mark,  the  boy  hit  must  quick'y 


348  Summer 


pick  up  the  ball  and  throw  it  at  his  nearest  playmate,  and  a 
game  of  "  crackabout "  ensues  until  someone  makes  a  miss. 
As  soon  as  this  occurs  all  return  to  their  places,  and  the 
failure  is  marked  by  a  "  black  baby  "  placed  in  the  hole 
belonging  to  the  lad  who  failed,  and  the  game  of  rolling  the 
ball  is  continued  by  the  boys  at  the  end  holes.  As  soon  as 
a  boy  receives  two  "  black  babies  "  he  is  called  "  black  baby 
half  whitewashed." 

The  game  goes  on  until  some  one  player  receives  three 
"  black  babies."  As  soon  as  this  occurs  the  culprit  takes  the 
ball,  retires  to  a  wall,  fence,  or  tree,  and  with  his  left  hand 
and  right  foot  resting  against  the  tree,  wall,  or  fence,  which 
he  must  face,  he  throws  the  ball  over  his  shoulder  as  far  as 
he  can.  The  spot  where  it  strikes  the  ground  is  marked  by 
the  other  boys  with  a  taw  line,  and  from  this  line  each 
player  in  turn  has  the  privilege  of  throwing  the  ball  at  the 
unfortunate  owner  of  three  "  black  babies,"  who  stands  with 
his  back  bent  and  his  head  resting  against  the  wall. 

This  may  appear  hard  on  the  unlucky  "  black  baby " 
boy,  but — and  here  is  the  chance  for  which  he  is  watching 
— every  miss  entitles  the  "  black  baby  "  to  a  throw  at  the 
bad  marksman.  After  each  thrower  has  had  three  shots  at 
the  culprit  then  the  misses  are  called,  and  each  in  turn 
takes  his  place  at  the  stake  and  receives  his  punishment 
until  all  debts  are  paid. 

One  game  will  give  to  a  crowd  of  boys  sufficient  ex- 
ercise and  harmless  fun  to  occupy  the  time  between  the 
close  of  school  and  tea-time.  Then  home  you  go,  glowing 
with  health  and  good  nature,  to  wash  and  dress  for  the 
evening  meal. 

Roily  Poly 

is  only  another  name  for  Black  Baby  or  Nigger  Baby,  and 
is  played  in  the  same  manner. 


Games  of  Ball  349 


Hat  Ball 

is  a  variation  of  the  same  game,  the  difference  being  that  in 
place  of  holes  in  the  ground  each  player  places  his  hat  on 
the  sidewalk  or  play-ground  in  the  same  order  in  which 
the  holes  in  the  other  game  are  arranged.  Of  course  it  is 
evident  that  the  ball  cannot  be  rolled  into  the  hats,  and  the 
boy  who  has  the  ball  tosses  it  in  one  of  the  hats.  All  the 
boys  scatter  except  the  one  whose  hat  contains  the  ball. 
Five  "babies"  put  a  boy  out  and  condemn  him  to  the 
penalty  prescribed  in  Black  Baby. 


CHAPTER  XXX 

MUMBLY    PEG,    HOP-SCOTCH,    AND    JACK 
STONES 

The  Motions  of  Stick-knife — Universality  of  the  Game  of  Hop-Scotch 
—As  Played  in  Different  Countries  —  Different  Games  with  Jack 
Stones. 

A  SUMMER'S  day,  a  shady  nook,  a  close-cropped  green 
sod,  two  or  three  boys,  and  a  jack-knife  are  the  things 
necessary  for  a  quiet  game  of  Mumbly  Peg. 

The  first  player  takes  the  knife  and  goes  through  as 
much  of  the  game  as  he  can  without  a  blunder.  The 
second  follows  in  turn,  doing  the  same.  The  last  one  to 
perform  all  of  the  difficult  feats  is  beaten,  and  must  pull  a 
peg,  two  inches  long,  from  the  ground  with  his  teeth.  The 
winner  drives  the  peg  with  the  knife-handle  for  a  hammer, 
being  allowed,  by  the  rules  of  the  game,  three  blows  with 
his  eyes  open,  and  three  with  his  eyes  closed. 

This  usually  drives  the  peg  out  of  sight  in  the  sod,  and 
in  that  case  the  boys  cry : 

"Root!    Root!" 

as  the  defeated  player,  unaided  by  aught  but  his  teeth, 
literally  roots,  until,  with  a  dirty  face  and  a  broad  grin,  he 
lifts  his  head,  showing  the  peg  between  his  teeth.  From 
the  penalty  that  the  loser  pays  comes  the  name  of 
Mumbly  or  Mumbelty-Peg. 


Mumbly  Peg,  Hop-Scotch,  Jack  Stones    351 


The  Feats 

are  these : 

First. — Hold  the  right  fist  with  back  to  the  ground  and 
with  the  jack-knife,  with  blade  pointing  to  the  right,  resting 
on  top  of  the  closed  fingers  (Fig.  282).  The  hand  is  swung 
to  the  right,  up  and  over,  describing  a  semicircle,  so  that 
the  knife  falls  point  downward  and  sticks,  or  should  stick, 
upright  in  the  ground  (Fig.  283).  If  there  is  room  to  slip 
two  fingers,  one  above  the  other,  beneath  the  handle  of  the 


Top  Vie.w 


FIG.  282. 


FIG.  283. 


FIGS.  282,  283.— First  Feat 


FIG.  284.— Third  Feat 


knife  and  if  the  point  of  the  knife  is  hidden  in  the  ground, 
it  counts  as  a  fair  stick  or  throw. 

Second. — The  next  motion  is  the  same  as  the  one  just 
described,  but  is  performed  with  the  left  hand. 

Third. — Take  the  point  of  the  blade  between  the  first 
and  second  fingers  of  the  right  hand,  and  fillip  it  with  a 
jerk  so  that  the  knife  turns  once  around  in  the  air  and 
strikes  the  point  into  the  ground  (Fig.  284). 

Fourth. — Do  the  same  with  the  left  hand. 


352 


Summer 


Fifth. — Hold  the  knife  as  in  the  third  and  fourth 
positions,  and  bring  the  arm  across  the  chest  so  that  the 
knife-handle  touches  the  left  ear.  Take  hold  of  the  right 
ear  with  the  left  hand  and  fillip  the  knife  so  that  it  turns 
once  or  twice  in  the  air  and  strikes  on  its  point  in  the 
earth  (Fig.  285). 

Sixth. — Do  the  same  with  the  left  hand. 

Seventh. — Still  holding  the  knife  in  the  same  manner, 


FIG.  285.— Fifth  Feat. 


FIG.  286.— Seventh  Feat. 


bring  the  handle  up  to  the  nose  and  fillip  it  over  through 
the  air,  so  that  it  will  stick  in  the  ground  (Fig.  286). 

Eighth. — Do  the  same  with  the  handle  at  the  right  eye. 

Ninth. — Repeat,  with  the  handle  at  the  left  eye. 

Tenth. — Place  the  point  of  the  blade  on  top  of  the  head. 
Hold  it  in  place  with  the  forefinger,  and  with  downward 
push  send  it  whirling  down  to  the  earth,  where  it  must 
stick  with  the  point  of  blade  in  the  earth  (Fig.  287). 

Eleventh  to  Fifteenth. — Hold  the  left  hand  with  the  fin- 
gers pointing  up,  and,  beginning  with  the  thumb,  place  the 
point  of  the  knife  on  each  finger  as  described  above,  and 


Mumbly  Peg,  Hop-Scotch,  Jack  Stones    353 


PIG.  287.— Tenth  Feat. 

and  the  forefinger  of 


the  forefinger  of  the 
right  hand  on  the 
end  of  the  knife- 
handle.  By  a  down- 
ward motion,  throw 
the  knife  revolving 
through  the  air,  so 
that  it  will  alight 
with  the  point  of  the 
blade  in  the  sod  (Fig. 
288). 

Sixteenth  to  Twen- 
tieth.—Repeat,  with       FIG.  288. -Elev- 
enth Feat. 

the   right   hand    up 
the  left  hand  on  the  knife-handle. 

Twenty-first,  Twenty-second. — Do  the  same  from  each  knee. 

Twen  ty-  tJi  ird.  — 
Hold  the  point  of 
the  blade  between 
the  first  and  sec- 
ond fingers  and, 
placing  the  hand 
on  the  forehead, 
fillip  the  knife 
back  over  the 
head,  so  that  it 
will  stick  in  the 
ground  behind 
the  player  ready 
for  the  next  mo- 
t  i  o  n  (Fig.  289 ; 
dotted  lines  show 
flight  of  knife). 


FIG.  289.— Twenty-third  Feat. 


354 


Summer 


Twenty-fourth. — After  twenty-three  the  knife  is  left  in  the 
ground.  Then  with  the  palm  of  the  hand  strike  the  knife- 
handle  a  smart  blow  that  will  send  it  revolving  over  the 
ground  for  a  yard,  more  or  less,  and  cause  it  to  stick  in 
the  ground  where  it  stops.  This  is  called  "  ploughing  the 
field  "  (Fig.  290 ;  dotted  lines  show  flight  of  knife). 


FIG.  290.—  Ploughing  the  Field. 


When  a  miss  is  made  the  next  player  takes  his  turn, 
and  when  the  first  player's  turn  comes  again  he  must  try 
the  feat  over  that  he  failed  to  perform  last.  A  good 
player  will  sometimes  go  through  almost  all  the  twenty- 
four  motions  without  failing  to  make  a  "  two-finger  "  —  that 
is,  a  fair  stick,  each  time  ;  but  it  is  very  unusual  for  anyone 
to  run  the  game  out  in  one  inning.  This  is  the  game  in 
twenty-four  motions  ;  many  boys  play  it  with  double  that 
number. 

Hop-Scotch. 

One  would  suppose  that  where  thousands  of  children 
are  every  year  killed  by  wild  beasts  and  poisonous  snakes, 
and  where  boys  and  girls  are  compelled  to  marry  like 
grown-up  people,  the  boys  would  be  so  busy  fighting 
tigers,  killing  snakes,  and  attending  weddings  that  they 
would  find  no  time  in  which  to  play.  But  in  India,  where 
all  these  things  take  place,  such  is  not  the  case.  The 
games  the  young  East  Indians  play  are  perhaps  as  numer- 
ous as  those  in  vogue  in  America,  and  many  of  them  are 


Mumbly  Peg,  Hop-Scotch,  Jack  Stones    355 

the  same.  Often  the  little  natives  may  be  seen  hopping 
around  on  one  brown,  bare  foot  regardless  of  snakes — in- 
tent upon  the  game  of  hop-scotch. 

From  far  Hindoostan,  all  the  way  across  the  map  of 
Europe  and  Great  Britain,  in  every  town,  chalked  on  the 
sidewalk  or  scratched  on  the  ground,  may  be  found 
the  boys'  hop-scotch  courts.  Not  content  with  crossing 
the  English  Channel,  this  popular  game  has  traversed  the 
wide  Atlantic  and  spread  all  over  the  United  States,  and  it 
is  only  a  matter  of  time  when,  by  the  way  of  California 
and  the  Pacific  Islands,  it  will  reach  Japan  and  China.  The 
whole  world  will  then  be  encircled  with  a  chain  of  hop- 
scotch courts,  and  who  will  dare  to  say  that  it  is  not  a  pop- 
ular game  ? 

The  Hop-Scotch  Court 

is  drawn  with  chalk  or  a  soft  brick  on  the  stone  flags  of  a 
sidewalk,  or  is  scratched  with  a  stick  on  a  piece  of  hard, 
level  ground.  It  is  about  twenty  feet  long  and  five  or  six 
feet  wide.  Figs.  291,  292,  and  293  show  some  English 
courts,  and  Fig.  294  shows  an  American  court.  Fig.  295 
is  a  modification  of  the  American  court  made  so  that  the 
flags  of  the  pavement  make  the  courts  and  only  require  a 
few  cross  lines  and  numbering. 

A  taw  line  is  drawn  a  short  distance  from  the  court.  In 
England  the  last  division  or  sub-court  at  the  top  of  the  main 
court  is  called  "cat's  cradle"  or  "plum  pudding;"  in  Italy, 
the  "bell;"  in  New  York,  the  "pot,"  and  in  Austria,  the 
"  temple." 

The  little  Italian  boys  -give  a  religious  significance 
to  the  game  by  calling  the  last  three  divisions  Infernal 
Regions,  Purgatory,  and  Paradise;  and  it  must  be  very 
encouraging  to  them,  because  if  they  play  long  enough  they 
are  sure  to  reach  Paradise, 


356 


Summer 


The  Potsherd. 

Originally  a  broken  piece  of  crockery,  a  shell,  or  a  small 
flat  stone  was  used  for  the  potsherd  to  play  with,  but  now  a 
bit  of  old  tin  folded  and  refolded,  and  hammered  flat  with 
a  hammer,  brick,  or  any  other  heavy  object,  is  the  favorite 
potsherd,  though  a  piece  of  brick  or  a  stone  is  often  used. 


10 


4- 


II 


FIG.  291.— An  English  Court  with  Eleven 
Subdivisions  and  a  Plum  Pudding. 


FIG.  292. —The  Six  Divisioned  English 
Court  with  Cradle, 


Mumbly  Peg,  Hop-Scotch,  Jack  Stones    357 


FIG.  293.— The  Simplest  English  Court       FIG.  294.— A  Typical  American  Court  with 
with  Cat's  Cradle.  Ten  Subdivisions. 


The  Game. 

After  deciding  who  shall  be  first,  second,  etc.,  the  player 
stands  at  taw  and  tosses  the  potsherd  into  division  number 
one  (Fig.  294).  Hopping  on  one  foot  over  the  line  into 
number  one  and  still  keeping  one  foot  raised,  he  makes  a 
hop-kick  with  the  other  and  sends  the  potsherd  out  of  the 


358 


Summer 


court.     Whenever  he  fails  to  do  so  the  next  player  takes  a 

turn. 

After  kicking  out  of  number  one  the  player  returns  to 

taw  and  tosses  the  tin  into  number  two.    Then  he  "jumps  a 

straddle,"  that  is,  he  jumps 
so  as  to  straddle  the  division 
line  between  number  one 
and  number  two,  with  one 
foot  in  each  of  these  divi- 
sions of  the  court,  and  with- 
out lifting  up  either  foot  he 
makes  a  sliding  kick,  send- 
ing the  tin  into  number  one. 
Then  hopping  into  that  di- 
vision he  makes  another 
hop-kick,  sending  the  pot- 
sherd out. 

In  this  manner  all  the 
divisions  are  played,  with  a 
straddle  jump  over  the  di- 
viding lines  at  four  and 
five  and  eight  and  nine, 
the  player  always  going 
through  the  lower  divisions 
as  he  came,  with  a  hop  or  a 
straddle.  At  ten,  after  hop- 
ping three  times  around  in 
the  "  pot,"  he  strikes  the 
potsherd  with  his  toe  and 
sends  it  through  all  the  di- 
visions toward  the  taw  line, 


FIG.  295. — An  American  Court  Adapted  to 
Stones  of  Sidewalk. 


clear  of  the  court,  returning  with  hops  and  straddles  the 
way  he  came. 


Mumbly  Peg,  Hop-Scotch,  Jack  Stones     359 

Sometimes  at  seven  and  ten  he  is  required,  while  still 
standing  on  one  foot,  to  pick  up  the  potsherd,  place  it  on 
the  top  of  his  ground  foot,  and  then  with  a  hop-kick  throw 
it  toward  taw,  clear  of  the  court.  Or  with  an  upward 
jerk  he  may  send  the  potsherd  up  in  the  air,  catch  it  with 
his  hands,  replace  it  in  the  court,  and  kick  it  out  without 
touching  his  foot  to  the  ground.  After  doing  the  "  pot," 
"  plum  pudding,"  "  cat's  cradle,"  or  paradise,  he  goes  back- 
ward through  all  the  divisions  to  number  one,  and  the 
game  is  finished. 

In  Fig.  293,  with  four  divisions  and  a  cradle,  there  are  no 
straddles.  In  Fig.  292,  with  six  divisions  and  a  cradle,  there 
are  no  straddles,  but  in  Fig.  291,  with  eleven  divisions  and 
a  plum  pudding,  there  is  a  straddle  at  two  and  three,  eight 
and  six,  ten  and  eleven,  and  a  "  pick  up  and  kick,"  as 
described  above,  at  four  and  nine  and  the  plum  pudding. 
In  the  American  game  (Fig.  295)  there  is  a  straddle  at  one 
and  two,  a  single  at  three,  a  straddle  at  four  and  five,  a 
single  at  six,  a  straddle  at  seven  and  eight,  and  a  single  at 
nine.  When  the  potsherd  is  pitched  into  ten,  the  player 
hops  into  one,  straddles  into  one  and  two,  hops  into  three, 
hops  into  four,  straddles  into  four  and  five,  hops  into  six, 
straddles  into  seven  and  eight,  hops  into  nine,  hops  into  the 
space  surrounding  the  small  pot  ten,  and  then,  without 
putting  his  foot  to  the  ground,  hops  three  times  around 
the  centre  pot  and  into  it. 

If  he  is  successful  so  far,  he  kicks  the  potsherd  toward 
taw  out  of  the  court,  and  returns  the  way  he  came. 

If  there  is  any  one  who  looks  with  contempt  upon  this 
game,  thinking  it  a  simple  baby  play,  let  him  attempt  this 
last  feat  and  ever  afterward  he  will  consider  Hop-scotch  a 
sport  in  which  it  requires  no  small  amount  of  skill  to  suc- 
ceed. 


360  Summer 


Grounds  Out. 

When  the  player  touches  his  foot  or  hand  to  the 
ground  it  is  called  "  grounds,"  and  he  is  out. 

When  a  player  pitches  the  potsherd  in  the  wrong  divi- 
sion or  on  a  line,  he  is  out. 

When  he  kicks  it  into  the  wrong  division  or  on  a  line, 
he  is  out ;  and  in  each  case  the  next  in  turn  plays  from  taw, 
and  the  other  players,  when  their  turns  come  around  again, 
begin  at  the  division  they  failed  in. 

Hop-Scotch  on  Stilts. 

If  any  one  of  my  readers  wishes  to  try  a  game  that  will 
test  his  athletic  skill,  let  him  try  hop-scotch  on  the  simplest 
English  court  (Fig.  293)  with  a  pair  of  "  gadabouts,"  such 
as  are  described  in  Chapter  VIII.,  strapped  to  his  legs,  and 
he  will  find  it  no  simple  game. 

Jack  Stones. 

This  is  another  game  that  was  old  when  Greek  civiliza- 
tion was  young.  "  Chuckie  stanes,"  "  chuck  stones,"  "  five 
stones,"  and  "  knuckle-bones,"  are  some  of  the  names  by 
which  the  game  has  been  known.  Knuckle-bones  were  in 
favor  for  use  in  this  game  two  thousand  years  ago  and  are 
still  used.  White,  water-washed  pebbles ;  crockery  stilts, 
which  are  little  three-legged  bits  of  earthenware  upon 
which  china  and  earthenware  are  placed  when  firing ;  iron 
stilts,  made  in  imitation  of  the  crockery  ones ;  "  lucky 
stones,"  which  are  bones  from  the  inside  of  the  head  of  the 
fresh-water  fish  called  sheepsheads;  and  marbles,  are  all 
used  in  this  country  for  jacks.  But  perhaps  the  best  are 
the  earthenware  stilts  with  an  agate  (marble)  for  the  jack. 


Mumbly  Peg,  Hop-Scotch,  J ' ack  Stones    361 


FIG.  298. 


Jack  is  the  name  given  to  the 
stone    which    is    thrown    up 
while  the  different  feats  are    Fia  296 
performed. 

First  Jack. 

The  game  opens  with  one  FlG<  297> 
player  taking  the  five  stones 
in  his  hand.  Holding  the 
hand,  palm  up  (Fig.  296),  he 
tosses  them  into  the  air  (Fig. 
297).  Before  the  stones  have 
time  to  descend  the  player 
turns  his  hand  over  and 
catches  as  many  as  he  can  on 
the  back  of  the  hand  (Fig. 
298).  These,  he  again  tosses 
up  (Fig.  299),  and  before  they 
descend  he  picks  up  those 
jacks  that  he  failed  to  catch 
on  the  back  of  his  hand  (Fig. 
300).  Quickly  turning  the 
hand  he  catches  the  descend- 
ing jacks,  and  now  holds  all 
five  in  his  fist  (Fig.  301). 

Whenever  a  player  fails  the 
next  in  turn  takes  the  jacks. 
After  successfully  catching 
the  jacks  on  the  back  of  the 
hand,  or  picking  up  all  that  FIG.  303. 
fell  off,  the  player  does  the 
second  feat,  called 


FIG.  299. 


FIG.  300. 


,„,,„.    ONTMt 
B*CK  Of  THt  HANI 


FIG.  301. 


362  Summer 


Ones. 

First  rolling  the  stones  from  his  hand  on  to  the  ground, 
he  throws  his  Jack  up,  and  before  it  falls,  picks  up  a  stone. 
Again  tossing  up  Jack  he  picks  up  another,  continuing 
until  all  are  successfully  picked  up  from  the  ground.  The 
next  play  is  called 

-      Twos. 

Again  rolling  the  stones  on  the  earth  and  tossing  Jack 
aloft,  the  player  picks  up  two  stones  at  a  time,  and,  sending 
Jack  up  again  he  picks  up  the  remaining  two.  This  same 
process  is  repeated  in 

Threes  ; 

but  in  this  play  one  is  picked  up  first  and  three  at  the  next 
toss,  or  three  first  and  one  afterward. 

Fours. 

All  four  stones  must  be  picked  up  while  Jack  is  in  the 
air. 

Drive  the  Horses  in  their  Stalls. 

Roll  the  stones  from  the  hand  on  to  the  ground,  and 
place  the  left  hand  with  fingers  spread  apart  on  the  ground 
near  the  jack  stones.  Toss  Jack  aloft,  and  before  he  comes 
down,  drive  one  of  the  stones  between  the  outspread  first 
and  second  fingers.  This  is  called  putting  the  horse  in  the 
stable  or  stall.  Do  the  same  with  all  the  other  stones. 
Then  in  succession 

Drive  the  Horses  Out  of  their  Stalls. 

Toss  Jack  up,  and  while  he  is  in  the  air  fillip  one  horse 
out.  Repeat  the  action  with  all  the  others,  then  bunch 
them  together  and  pick  up  all  four,  and  catch  Jack  as  he 
descends. 


Mumbly  Peg,  Hop-Scotch,  J ack  Stones    363 


Jumping  the  Hurdles. 

Place  the  four  horses  (jack  stones)  in  a  line.  Then  toss 
Jack  up,  and  before  he  comes  down,  pick  up  the  first  and 
third  stones  together  and  catch  Jack  as  he  comes  down. 
The  second  and  fourth  are  next  caught  up  together  and 
Jack  is  caught  as  he  falls. 

Base-ball. 

Four  of  the  Jacks  are  placed  to  represent  the  four  bases 
on  the  base-ball  field.  Jack  is  sent  aloft  and  the  jack  stone 
at  home  base  is  picked  up  and  deposited  at  first  base  and 
Jack  is  caught  as  he  falls.  Jack  is  again  tossed  up,  and  the 
second  base  is  run  in  the  same  manner,  and  then  the  third, 
and  then  the  home  base. 

Now  the  first-base  man  is  picked  up  and  set  down  at  the 
second,  then  the  first  and  second  are  picked  up  together 
and  set  down  at  third,  then  the  first,  second,  and  third  are 
all  taken  up  at  one  time  and  set  down  at  home  base.  Then 
as  Jack  is  again  tossed  up  all  four  are  taken  up  at  the  same 
time  and  Jack  is  caught  before  he  reaches  the  ground. 

Cats  in  the  Well. 

The  Jacks  are  rolled  from  the  hand  on  to  the  ground  ; 
these  are  the  cats.  Then  the  left  hand  of  the  player  is  placed 
near  them  with  the  fist  lightly  closed,  the  thumb  and  first  fin- 
ger forming  the  opening  to  the  well.  Jack  is  now  thrown 
up,  and  while  he  is  in  the  air,  one  of  the  four  cats  on  the 
ground  is  picked  up  and  put  in  the  well.  The  same  oper- 
ation is  repeated  with  the  second,  third,  and  fourth  cat,  until 
all  have  been  drowned  in  the  well.  The  left  hand  is  now 
taken  away  and  the  dead  cats  are  left  in  a  bunch.  Jack  is 


364  Summer 

tossed  up  and  all  four  of  the  cats  are  picked  up  before  Jack 
comes  down. 

Sending  the  People  to  Church. 

Again  the  stones  are  spilled  upon  the  ground.  This 
time  they  have  changed  from  dead  cats  to  well-dressed 
people,  but  people  who  need  urging  before  they  will  go  to 
church.  The  left  hand  is  placed  with  fingers  crooked  and 
spread  apart.  The  ends  of  the  fingers  resting  on  the 
ground  form  the  bases  to  the  arched  doorways  of  the 
church,  while  the  hollowed  palm  forms  the  ceiling  and 
the  back  of  the  hand  the  roof. 

Jack  is  now  sent  up  and  one  of  the  Sunday  idlers  is 
driven  through  one  of  the  five  doorways  into  the  church. 
One  at  a  time,  all  four  are  sent  to  church.  Then  all  four 
are  gathered  up  while  Jack  is  above,  and  Jack  joins  them 
when  he  is  caught  as  he  returns  to  earth. 

When  girls  play  Jack-stones  they  use  a  pretty  marble 
for  Jack,  select  a  stone  step  to  play  upon,  and  allow  Jack 
to  strike  the  step  aftid  catch  him  on  the  rebound.  They 
also  have  a  number  of  feats  generally  ignored  by  the 
boys.  This  being  a  boys'  book,  these  feats,  such  as  "  peas 
in  a  pod,"  "setting  the  table,"  "doves  in  a  cot,"  "spin- 
ning the  plate,"  "knock  at  the  door,"  "pick  up  a  pin," 
"light  a  match,"  "washing  the  clothes,"  will  be  left  for 
books  written  for  girls. 


CHAPTER  XXXI 
PRACTICAL  HINTS  FOR   BICYCLISTS 

Regarding  Baggage  and  how  to  Carry  it — A  Photographer's  Outfit  on  a 
Wheel— A  Collector's  Box — How  to  Deal  with  Punctures — An  Ex- 
temporized Handle  Bar — A  Rope  Tire— A  Cleaning  Rack,  and  a 
Bicycle  Stand. 

THERE  is  only  one  way  to  learn  to  ride  a  bicycle,  and 
that  is,  to  straddle  a  wheel  and  try ;  but  there  are  thou- 
sands of  practical  and  useful  things  to  learn  after  you  are 
able  to  ride.  Every  boy  knows  how  to  strap  his  coat  on 
the  handle  bars,  and  most  of  them  can  carry  various  parcels, 
but  there  are  some  articles  of 

Baggage 

that  need  special  care.  It  is  customary  in  ordinary  wheel- 
ing to  strip  a  machine  of  every  ounce  of  weight  not  abso- 
lutely necessary.  Many  riders  travel  without  even  a  tool- 
bag,  pump,  or  wrench.  This  is  absurd,  for  the  additional 
weight  of  a  few  tools  cannot  possibly  be  sufficient  to  make 
any  appreciable  difference  to  an  ordinary  road-rider. 

Of  course,  if  you  are  a  "scorcher,"  and  are  out  to  pass 
everything  you  meet  on  the  road,  the  less  weight  you  carry 
the  better  time  you  can  make.  But  the  wheel  is  used  by 
most  boys  for  other  purposes.  In  Flushing,  Long  Island, 
it  is  no  uncommon  thing  to  see  one  of  the  local  colony  of 
artists  wheeling  merrily  along  with  sketching  easel  and 
umbrella  strapped  to  his  handle-bars,  and  paint-box  and 


366 


Summer 


canvas  swung  in  the  frame  beneath  him.  Nor  is  it  an 
uncommon  sight,  in  the  spring,  to  see  the  trout  fishermen, 
men  and  boys,  passing  by  on  their  bicycles  with  their 
jointed  fishing-rods  strapped  to  their  handle  bars  and  their 
creels  on  their  backs. 

This  suggests  a  variety  of  uses  that  boys  may  make  of 
their  wheels. 

How  to  Carry  Photographic  Outfit  on  a  Wheel. 

The  top  diagram  shows  the  arrangement  of  straps  on  Mr. 
Hemment's  camera,  Fig.  303.     This  gentleman  is  the  official 

FIG.  303. 


FIG.  304. 

Photographic  Outfit. 


FIG.  305. 


photographer  for  Leslie  s  Weekly,  and  carries  his  eight-by- 
ten  camera  and  five-feet  tripod  on  his  wheel.  The  tripod  is 
strapped  to  the  handle-bars  and  the  camera  is  strapped  on 
in  front,  as  shown  in  Fig.  304,  side  view,  and  Fig.  305,  front 
view  of  the  same.  The  straps  allow  a  certain  amount  of 
movement,  which  is  necessary  for  safety.  If  the  camera  is 


Practical  Hints  for  Bicyclists 


367 


fastened  too  tightly  to  the  machine  the  constant  jarring  of 
the  bicycle  will  be  more  than  likely  to  result  in  injury  to  the 
plates  or  other  apparatus. 

But  all   boys  are   not  photographers.     Some   are   fish- 
ermen and  need  only  to  strap  their  rods  to  their  handle- 


FIG.  306.— Bicycle  Stand  and  Naturalist  Outfit 

bars.  Most  of  them  are  great  collectors  of  something,  and 
many  are  interested  in  making  cabinets  of  beetles,  butter- 
flies, and  moths  ;  or  in  collecting  various  small  creatures, 
such  as  toads,  frogs,  snails,  and  even  snakes.  These  boys 
will  be  glad  to  know 

How  to  Rig  the  American  Boy  Naturalist's  Wheel. 

The  drawing,  Fig.  306,  it  will  be  seen,  shows  a  wheel 
loaded  with  bags  for  tools,  bottles,  boxes,  lunch,  and  vari- 
ous knick-knacks  essential  to  the  outfit  of  a  naturalist 
collector.  Cut  paper  patterns  for  the  different  boxes,  so 
that  they  will  fit  the  particular  machine  for  which  they  are 
designed.  Make  the  boxes  of  stiff  pasteboard.  Divide  the 
largest  box  or  bag  into  as  many  subdivisions  as  will  best 
meet  your  requirements.  Make  the  compartments  of  paste- 


368  Summer 


board,  and  keep  them  in  place  by  pasting  cloth  along  the 
edges  on  both  sides. 

After  all  the  divisions  are  made,  line  the  whole  inside  of 
the  box  with  cloth  and  sew  it  in  neatly,  turning  in  all  the 
rough  edges.  Next  make  a  cover  of  pasteboard  and  cut  a 
door  for  each  compartment.  Cover  the  inside  with  cloth, 
sewed  on  neatly.  Sew  the  cover  itself  to  the  box.  Make 
the  doors  or  lids  for  the  compartments,  and  make  each 
considerably  larger  than  the  opening  it  is  to  cover.  Line 
the  inside  of  each  lid  with  cloth,  leaving  a  flap  for  a  hinge, 
and  cover  the  outside  with  enamelled  cloth.  Sew  the 
linings  to  box  so  that  the  lids  will  cover  the  proper 
openings,  and  cover  the  whole  outside  of  the  box  with 
enamelled  cloth.  Use  an  awl  or  big  darning-needle  with 
which  to  punch  holes,  when  you  are  sewing  the  paste- 
board. Do  not  sew  the  enamel  cloth  to  the  box.  Cut 
holes  to  correspond  to  the  various  doors,  leaving  flaps  to 
turn  in,  and  sew  the  flaps  to  the  lining  on  the  inside. 

There  is  no  mystery  about  the  art  of  sewing  a  thing  of 
this  kind.  It  is  not  a  girl's  work,  and  few  of  them  could  do 
it ;  but  any  boy  who  will  take  pains  can,  and  a  boy  who 
will  not  take  pains  will  never  make  a  collector. 

All  that  remains  to  be  done  now  is  to 

Add  the  Straps  and  Buttons. 

Sew  short  straps  or  pieces  of  tape  to  the  box  to  fasten  it 
by  buckling  or  by  tying  it  to  the  frame,  and  small  straps  on 
the  lids  with  slits  in  the  ends  for  button-holes.  Put  some 
round  buttons  on  the  box  to  which  you  can  button  the 
straps,  thus  fastening  the  lids.  The  small  boxes  under  the 
seats  can  be  made  in  the  same  manner;  but,  being  without 
divisions,  they  are  so  simple  that  they  need  no  further 
explanation. 


Practical  Hints  for  Bicyclists  369 


As  to  Punctures. 

The  dreaded  carpet -tack,  the  lurking  horseshoe,  with 
rusty  nails  sticking  up  like  the  fangs  of  a  serpent,  the 
treacherous  broken  bottles,  and  the  innocent-looking  clam- 
shells, are  all  mortal  enemies  of  the  inflated  rubber  tires 
and  lose  no  opportunity  to  stab  or  cut  the  rubber  and  spoil 
the  cycler's  ride.  It  is  supposed  that  every  rider  goes  pre- 
pared for  such  emergencies,  but  observation  teaches  that 
many  do  not,  and  all  should  know 

How  to  Stop  a  Puncture  with  Chewing-Gum, 

or  any  other  sticky  substance  that  can  be  procured.  A 
nail  or  tack  hole  can  be  temporarily  mended  with  chewing, 
gum  in  the  following  manner:  Let  all  the  air  out  of  the 
tire,  make  a  small  wooden  paddle,  and  with  this  implement 
poke  the  gum  through  the  hole  from  the  outside  of  the  tire, 
flatten  what  is  left  over  the  outside  and  bind  on  a  piece  of 
rag  or  a  part  of  your  pocket-handkerchief.  Do  this  neatly. 
Then  pump  up  the  tire,  and  the  compressed  air  on  the  in- 
side will  flatten  the  wax  over  the  inside  of  the  hole  and 
prevent  the  escape  of  air,  so  that  you  may  reach  home 
without  another  application  of  the  pump. 

Not  long  ago  the  New  York  Journal  told  of  a  cyclist 
who  broke  his  handle-bar  and  patched  it  up  so  that  he  was 
able  to  ride  his  machine  a  long  distance,  reaching  home  in 
safety.  His  method  is  a  common-sense  one,  and  all  boys 
should  know 

How  to  Rig  a  Jury  Handle-Bar. 

Take  two  elastic  saplings  and  bind  them  securely  to  the 
front  fork,  as  shown  in  the  front  view  (Fig.  307).  Lash  9 
stout  stick  to  the  handle-bar,  holding  the  broken  part  in 


37° 


Summer 


place.  Bind  the  ends  of  the  fork-sticks  securely  to  this  and 
you  have  a  jury  bar  that,  though  it  may  work  a  little 
stiffly,  will  enable  you  to  ride  home,  which,  even  in  a  short 
distance,  is  a  much  pleasanter  ending  to  a 
ride  than  walking  and  leading  a  crippled 
wheel. 

It  sometimes  happens  that  from  con- 
tact with  the  knife-like  edge  of  a  piece  of 
tin  or  glass,  a  slit  is  cut  in  the  tire,  so  large 
that  it  is  impracticable  to  attempt  to  mend 
it  on  the  road.  In  such  a  case 

A  Rope  Tire 

will  often  enable  the  rider  to  reach  home 
without  humiliating  himself  by  walking 
and  leading  his  wheel.  A  few  yards  of 
clothes-line  borrowed,  begged,  or  bought 
from  some  wayside  house,  will  enable  you 
to  make  an  old-fashioned  solid  tire.  Re- 
move the  rubber  tire,  tie  it  to  your  handle- 
bar, and  take  the  rope  and  bend  one  end 
diagonally  across  the  hollow  in  the  rim 
of  the  wheel.  Then  wind  the  rope  care- 
fully around,  over  the  bent  end  of  the  rope,  around  again 
alongside  of  the  first  length  until  the  rim  is  covered. 
Keep  the  line  tight  and  wind  it  until  it  fills  up  the  hol- 
low and  is  considerably  higher  in  the  middle  than  at  the 
sides.  The  neater  this  work  is  done  the  more  comfortable 
will  be  your  ride  home.  When  the  rope  tire  is  complete 
pry  up  the  side  lap  and  force  the  free  end  of  the  rope  diag- 
onally under  until  it  comes  out  on  the  other  side.  Draw  it 
taut  and  cut  off  the  end  flush  with  the  outer  wrapping. 
Now  pour  water  all  over  the  rope  until  it  is  thoroughly 


FIG.  307. 


Practical  Hints  for  Bicyclists 


wet,  this  will  cause  it  to  shrink  and  become  firm  and 
hard.  All  that  remains  to  be  done  is  for  you  to  jump  on 
your  wheel  and  start  for  your  destination. 

When  you  reach  home  after  a  ride  you  should  always 
clean  your  wheel.  To  do  this  it  is  best  to  turn  the  wheel 
upside  down.  The  work  of  cleaning  is  made  more  pleasant 
if  you  have  a  repairing  stool. 

How  to  Make  a  Cleaning  and  Repairing  Rack. 

It  is  a  simple  but  most  convenient  affair,  and  varies  in 
dimensions  with  the  wheel  that  it  is  intended  to  support. 


FIG.  308. 


FIG.  309. 


The  first  drawing,  Fig.  308,  shows  a  side  view  with  the 
wheel  upside  down,  ready  to  be  cleaned ;  the  second,  Fig. 
309,  shows  the  construction  of  the  bench.  The  front  slots 
for  the  handle  bars  must  be  covered  with  cloth,  stuffed 
with  cotton ;  and  the  bench  in  the  rear  must  have  a  cushion 
made  by  tacking  on  a  piece  of  cloth  and  filling  the  upper 
part  loosely  with  hair,  moss,  cotton,  or  excelsior. 

The  only  safe  way  to  stable  your  machine  is  to  have  a 
stand  of  some  kind  for  it,  and  the  most  simple  stand  is  the 
best. 


372  Summer 


How  to  Make  a  Bicycle  Stand. 

Select  a  good  straight-grained  piece  of  plank,  of  any 
kind  of  wood,  an  inch  and  one-half  or  two  inches  thick,  and 
twelve  or  fourteen  inches  wide.  Saw  off  a  piece  eighteen 
inches  long  for  the  base  of  your  stand.  Saw  out  a  slit 
in  the  middle  of  the  stand  nine  inches  long  and  a  trifle 
wider  than  the  tire  of  your  wheel.  With  your  pocket- 


FIG.  310.  FIG.  311. 

knife,  or  chisel,  round  off  the  sharp  edges  of  the  slit,  and 
cut  a  slot  from  the  bottom  of  the  plank,  at  the  end  of  the 
slit,  to  the  top.  Round  this  out  so  that  it  will  fit  loosely  to 
a  wheel  pushed  in  the  slit.  At  the  end  of  this  hollow  bore 
two  holes,  about  a  quarter  of  an  inch  in  diameter,  to  hold 
a  stiff  wire  which  is  bent  over  in  a  loop  to  receive  the  tire 
of  the  wheel  (Fig.  306).  This  wire  can  be  taken  out  and  the 
board  set  up  against  the  wall  when  it  is  not  in  use,  or  both 
may  be  hung  up  in  the  hall  closet,  out  of  the  way.  When 
you  wish  to  stable  your  wheel  take  down  the  base,  set  it  on 
the  floor,  put  the  wire  in  place,  and  back  your  wheel  in  the 


Practical  Hints  for  Bicyclists  373 

slot  until  the  rear  tire  is  held  by  the  wire  loop.  This  will 
keep  the  wheel  upright,  with  no  danger  of  its  being 
knocked  over. 

The  last  two  diagrams,  Figs.  310  and  311,  show  how  to 
decorate  a  wheel  for 

A  Night  Parade. 

The  illustrations  are  made  from  the  two  wheels  which  took 
the  first  and  second  prize  in  a  parade.  The  first,  Fig.  310, 
was  simply  a  very  large  Japanese  umbrella,  with  Japanese 
lanterns  suspended  from  the  ribs.  The  lanterns  illuminated 
the  whole  umbrella,  which,  when  seen  at  a  distance,  had 
the  appearance  of  a  large  colored  balloon.  The  second, 
Fig.  311,  was  rather  sparsely  decorated  with  lanterns,  but 
plentifully  supplied  with  streamers  of  all  colors,  which  the 
light  from  the  lanterns  brought  out  in  brilliant  effect.  In 
appearance  the  rider  was  sailing  in  a  boat. 


Autumn 


CHAPTER  XXXII 
POINTS  ON  CAMPING  OUT 

How  to  Make  a  Fire  in  the  Woods  on  a  Rainy  Day— To  get  a  Light 
Without  Matches— The  Diamond  Hitch,  and  a  Home-made  Cinch. 

"  LAFE,  I  can't  make  a  fire ;  we  have  no  paper  and  the 
wood's  all  wet." 

Lafe  is  a  Pike  County  backwoodsman.  He  only  smiled  ; 
then  shouldering  his  axe  he  walked  over  to  a  moss-covered 
log  that  lay  on  the  ground  as  sog- 
gy and  wet  as  a  sponge  in  the 
water.  With  a  few  blows  from 
the  butt  end  of  his  axe  he  knocked 
out  of  the  rotten  wood  the  rem- 
nants of  what  were  once  the  noble 
limbs  of  a  giant  pine-tree.  These 
remnants  were  now  nothing  more 
than  spike-shaped  clubs,  the  larg- 
est not  over  two  feet  long. 

"  Here's  what  we  use  in  the 
woods  for  paper,"  said  Lafe. 

Upon  examination,  we  discov- 
ered that  the  spike-shaped  clubs 
were  almost  as  heavy  as  lead,  but 
it  was  not  water  that  gave  them 
weight;  it  was  the  sap  of  the  tree, 
the  pitch,  that  colored  them  a  rich  red  and  made  them  hard 


FIG.  312.— The  Fire  Won't  Burn. 


378  Autumn 


and  impervious  to  rain.  Lafe  pulled  out  his  one-bladed  jack- 
knife  and  began  to  whittle  the  pine  stick,  but  he  allowed  no 
shavings  to  become  detached  (Fig.  313).  When  he  had  three 

cut  in  the  manner  shown  in  the  ac- 
companying drawing  (Fig.  314),  he 
set  them  up  on  the  ground,  with  the 
small  ends  down  and  the  big  ends 
resting  against  each  other,  placed  as 
the  sticks  are  that  form  the  frame  of 
an  Indian  wigwam.  He  touched  a 
FIG.  313.  —A  FIG.  314.—  lighted  match  to  the  shavings,  and 
K^ot.  '  Pine  liS!ing  *he  immeidately  a  flame  burst  forth  with 
a  black  smoke.  Selecting  some 

sticks  he  had  previously  split  in  halves,  he  piled  them 
around  the  blazing  pine-knots  in  a  conical  wigwam  fashion, 
and  soon  we  had  a  fire  that  was  hot  enough  to  ignite  the 
wet,  unsplit  wood  we  gathered. 


Building  a  Fire  Without  Matches. 

After  the  coffee  was  boiled  and  the  fish  fried  and  the 
boys'  clothes  partially  dried,  they  made  haste  to  ply  Lafe 
with  questions. 

"  How  would  you  build  a  fire,  if  your  matches  were  wet, 
or  if  you  had  none  ?  "  asked  Tom. 

"  I  generally  calculate  to  keep  my  matches  dry  and 
always  keep  some  about  me,"  answered  the  woodsman  ;  "  but 
in  case,  as  you  say,  I  had  none,  I'd  put  a  light  charge  of 
powder  in  my  gun  and  a  loose  wad  of  cotton  rag  and  shoot 
in  the  air,  and  then  double  the  red-hot  ashes  of  the  rag  up 
and  blow  on  it  until  it  flamed  up. 

"  Or,  if  I  find  that  I  am  running  out  of  matches,  I  take 
a  piece  of  cotton  cloth  and  dry  it  at  the  fire,  heating  it  until 


Points  on  Camping  Out  379 

it  is  almost  charred  ;  then  I  dampen  the  rag  and  rub  gun- 
powder into  its  fibres  as  hard  as  I  can  until  I  can  rub  no 
more  powder  in.  After  that  I  dry  the  rag  thoroughly 
again  and  put  it  in  a  bottle,  tin  box,  or  horn,  cork  it  up 
tight  and  keep  it  until  I  need  it.  With  the  back  of  my 
knife-blade  for  a  steel  and  a  piece  of  flint,  I  strike  a  spark 
that  sets  the  rag  a-burning  and  fold  the  glowing  rag  up, 
cover  it  with  shavings,  twisted  straw  or  punk,  and  blow  it 
into  a  flame." 


Things  Worth  Remembering. 

"  Tamarack  is  a  very  good  wood, 

If  you  can  get  it  dry, 
But  to  make  a  fire  of  green  tamarack, 
I'll  be  a  fool  to  try." 

An  Indian  builds  a  small  camp- 
fire  and  hugs  it,  a  white  man  makes 
a   roaring  big   fire 
and    stands    away 
from  it. 

In  selecting  a 

camping-place  never  forget  that 
the  presence  of  good  firewood 
in  abundance  is  a  matter  of  grave 
importance.  A  standing  dead  ce- 
dar will  furnish  the  best  of  kind- 
ling wood.  Green,  soft  woods, 
spruce,  and  white  birch,  burn 
badly  and  are  difficult  to  ignite. 

To  build  a  fire  that  will  burn 
all  night,  select  a  couple  of  good 
heavy  sticks  for  andirons,  and  a  FIG.  315.— A  Camper. 


380 


Aittitmn 


quantity  of  green  hardwood,  maple,  yellow  birch,  or  beech, 
for  fuel.  Across  the  andirons  lay  all  the  fuel  sticks  in 
the  same  direction  parallel  with  each  other;  in  this 
position  they  will  burn  slowly  and  smoulder  for  a  long 
time.  A  large  tree,  or,  better  still,  a  large  rock  at  the  back 
of  your  fire  will  retain  and  reflect  the  heat. 


FIG.  316.— The  Author's  Camp  at  Big  Tink,  Pike  County,  Penn. 

Always  select  a  well-drained  spot,  or  a  slight  elevation 
for  a  place  to  pitch  your  tent  or  build  your  shack ;  this  will 
prevent  an  exceedingly  disagreeable  experience  of  awaken, 
ing  during  a  rain-storm  to  find  your  tent,  floor,  and  blankets 
soaked  with  water.  The  presence  of  a  neighboring  spring, 
or  other  water-supply  for  drinking  and  cooking,  of  course, 
must  not  be  overlooked. 


Points  on  Camping  Out  381 

Never  pitch  your  tent  in  a  hollow  or  depression,  or  you 
may  find  yourself  in  the  middle  of  a  pond.  Soldiers  always 
dig  a  ditch  around  their  tents.  The  floor,  which  is  often 
your  bed,  can  be  covered  with  straw,  if  straw  is  obtainable ; 
if  not,  fir-boughs ;  these  lie  flatter  than  spruce.  It  is  best 
to  lay  the  foundation  of  good-sized  branches,  cover  them 
with  smaller  ones,  and  over  all  place  a  deep  layer  of  fir- 
twigs  broken  off  the  length  of  your  hand,  and  laid  shingle- 
fashion,  commencing  at  the  foot  of  your  bed,  or  the  door- 
way of  your  shack  or  tent,  each  succeeding  row  of  boughs 
covering  the  thick  ends  of  the  previous  row.  A  properly 
made  bough-bed  is  as  comfortable  as  a  mattress,  but  one  in 
which  the  ends  of  the  sticks  prod  your  ribs  all  night  is  not 
a  couch  that  tends  to  make  a  comfortable  night's  rest. 

Candles,  lamps,  and  lanterns  add  to  the  luggage  of  a 
camper,  and  may  be  dispensed  with,  yet  it  often  happens  that 
you  will  need  a  light  at  night.  If  you  do,  remember  that 
almost  any  sort  of  fat  or  grease  will  burn.  I  have  made  a 
passable  lamp  of  an  old  clam-shell  filled  with  melted  rancid 
butter  and  a  twisted  rag  for  a  wick  resting  in  the  butter, 
and  I  have  seen  most  dainty  little  candles  moulded  in  wil- 
low bark  of  tallow  from  the  deer,  with  a  wick  of  the  inside 
bark  of  a  cedar-tree.  But  such  things  are  only  made  by 
guides  for  ladies,  or  as  souvenirs  to  take  home.  A  torch 
will  answer  all  needs  of  camp  life. 

A  Birch-bark  Torch. 

Peel  off  several  strips  of  birch  bark,  four  or  five  inches 
wide  ;  double  and  fold  them  two  or  three  times  if  the  pieces 
are  long. 

Split  one  end  of  a  stick  for  a  torch-handle  and  slip  one 
or  more  of  the  doubled  strips  into  the  end  of  the  stick. 
The  Northern  Indian  always  keeps  a  lot  of  neatly  folded 


382 


Autumn 


bunches  of  birch  bark,  tied  with  cedar-bark  rope,  on  hand 
for  use  as  torches  in  spearing  fish  at  night. 

Remove  the  outside  bark  of  a  cedar-tree,  and  then  from 
the  bottom  up  strip  off  the  fine  inner  bark,  and  from  these 
fibres  twist  what  ropes  or  strings  you  need  around  camp. 


FIG.  317. — Supper  at  Camp. 

Keep  your  feet  dry ;  that  is,  keep  them  dry  while  in 
camp.  To  do  this  take  an  abundant  supply  of  old  socks 
with  you  and  two  pairs  of  shoes — one  pair  for  dry  shoes 
and  an  old  pair  for  wet  ones.  With  an  old  pair  of  trousers 
and  some  leaky  shoes  you  may  wade  a  trout  stream  and 
stand  in  the  water  for  hours  without  suffering  any  ill  effects 
if  you  are  prompt  in  removing  the  wet  clothes  and  re- 


Points  on  Camping  Out  383 

placing  them  with  dry  shoes,  socks,  and  trousers  as  soon 
as  you  leave  the  water.  Experience  has  taught  many 
sportsmen  that  this  method  is  far  more  comfortable  and 
healthful  than  wearing  expensive  hot  and  clumsy  rubber 
boots. 

I  was  never  lost  in  the  woods,  but  once.  I  remember 
that  I  had  read  in  books  that  the  moss  grew  thickest  on  the 
north  side  of  the  trees.  Upon  careful  examination  I  could 
distinguish  no  difference  between  the  moss  on  one  side  of  the 
trees  and  that  on  the  other  side  ;  the  moss  grew  all  around! 
The  thick  interlacing  branches  overhead  concealed  the  sun. 
After  wandering  around  in  a  circle  for  hours  I  at  last  heard 
the  rushing  of  water,  and,  following  the  sound,  soon  dis- 
covered the  brook  I  had  been  fishing,  down  which  I  waded 
until  I  struck  camp  at  4  P.M.,  having  left  there  at  4  A.M. 
I  was  wet,  cold,  and  hungry,  but  otherwise  all  right. 

An  Indian  in  starting  out  always  carefully  notes  the 
direction  of  the  wind.  Where  the  sky  is  not  obscured  the 
sun  and  stars  serve  as  guides,  but  the  safest  way  is  to  blaze 
trees  as  you  go  (mark  them  with  your  hatchet),  or  every 
now  and  then  break  a  twig  or  branch,  bending  the  broken 
end  in  the  direction  you  are  pursuing,  thus  making  a  trail 
that  is  easily  retraced.  Streams  always  flow  toward  greater 
bodies  of  water,  and  somewhere  along  these  water  roads, 
farms  or  settlements  are  located  ;  so  if  you  are  really  lost, 
follow  the  first  stream  until  it  leads  you,  as  it  invariably 
will,  to  some  road,  settlement,  or  camp. 

While  the  trapper,  scout,  and  guide,  can  sleep  peacefully 
wrapped  in  a  blanket  with  his  feet  to  the  fire,  it  takes  a 
green  city  boy  some  time  to  accustom  himself  to  the  katy- 
dids, "  pinching  bugs,"  and  various  other  harmless  but 
more  or  less  annoying  small  creatures  of  the  wood.  If  the 
"  tender  foot "  will  get  his  mother  to  make  him 


384  Autumn 


A  Sleeping  Bag 

of  an  old  blanket,  he  can  creep  into  it  at  night  and  cover 
his  head  with  a  bit  of  mosquito-netting  and  sleep  as  soundly 
as  his  guide,  with  no  fear  of  insects  or  other  small  creatures 
interrupting  his  slumber. 

If  you  have  a  pony,  horse,  or  mule  for  a  pack  animal,  it 
greatly  facilitates  the  transportation  of  camping  material, 
and  furnishes  you  with  many  more  conveniences,  such  as 
additional  cooking  utensils  and  extra  clothes.  All  campers 
travelling  with  pack  animals  owe  a  debt  of  gratitude  to  an 
old  Spanish  muleteer  who  many,  many  years  ago  invented 

The  Famous  Diamond  Hitch. 

As  the  boys'  counting-out  rhymes  are  told  by  one  boy 
to  another,  so  one  muleteer  told  his  fellows  until  it  reached 

Mexico,  was  learned  by  the 
hardy  prospectors  and  trap- 
pers, and  from  some  one  of 
them,  Captain  A.  E.  Wood, 
of  the  Fourth  United  States 
Cavalry,  discovered  the 
trick  in  1879  an(*  taught  it 
_  to  his  men ;  and  my  cousin, 

FIG.  3i8.-Pian  of  the  Diamond  Hitch.      a   civil  engineer,   who   has 

spent  much  of  his  time  in 

the  Wild  West,  learned  the  Diamond  Hitch  and  taught  it 
to  me. 

The  Aparejo. 

The  pack-saddle  of  the  Mexicans  is  called  an  aparejo,* 
and  is  used  in  preference  to  the  old  saw-buck  saddle.  It  is 

*  As  pronounced  it  would  be  spelled  Ah-pahr-ai-ho  in  English. 


Points  on  Camping  Out  385 

made  of  a  leather  bag  attached  to  a  very  broad  leather 
breeching.  Inside  is  a  slight  springy  framework  of  wil- 
low, and  the  space  between  is  filled  with  straw. 

Of  course  such  a  saddle  is  not  to  be  found  east  of  the 
Mississippi  River ;  but  one  can  easily  be  made  of  canvas, 
which  in  many  respects  is  better  than  leather  and  is  not  so 
easily  damaged  by  water.  This  saddle  must  be  stiff  at  the 
bottom  edges  and  corners,  where  considerable  strain  comes 
when  the  pack-rope  is  bound  on.  Before  placing  the  saddle 
on  your  pack-horse,  fold  a  blanket  neatly  on  the  animal's 
back  and  secure  it  with  a  wide  girth.  This  will  prevent 
the  pack-horse's  back  from  being  rubbed  and  becoming 
sore. 

For  two  whole  days  I  worked  with  a  rope  to  try  and 
learn  the  diamond  hitch,  and  though  I  had  a  printed  and 
illustrated  account  which  claimed  to  disclose  the  secret  of 
this  far-famed  hitch,  I  might  still  be  working  at  the  prob- 
lem had  not  my  cousin,  Wolcott  LeCle*ar  Beard,  chanced 
to  come  in.  He  showed  me  that  on  account  of  the  lack  of 
familiarity  with  the  terms  used,  the  writer  and  proof-reader 
had  so  mixed  up  things  that  no  one  could  follow  the  de- 
scription  and  throw  the  hitch.  Taking  a  rope  in  his  hand 
Mr.  Beard  then  showed 

How  the  Trick  is  Done. 

First,  you  need  one  short  quarter-inch  rope  for  a  "  sling 
rope "  to  hold  the  baggage  in  place  while  throwing  the 
diamond  hitch. 

There  must  be  two  boys  to  do  the  packing.  The  boy 
on  the  near,  nigh,  or  left-hand  side  of  the  pony  or  donkey, 
takes  in  his  left  hand  the  two  ends  of  the  sling-rope,  and 
with  his  right  hand  throws  the  loop  or  "  bight  "  of  the  rope 
across  the  pony's  back  and  leaves  it  hanging  there.  The 


386 


Aut^tn^n 


boys  now  lift  two  bags  or  parcels  and  place  them  length- 
wise, one  oq  each  side  of  the  animal's  back-bone. 

The  loop  is  now  passed  up  and  over  the  pack  on  the  far, 
•'  off,"  or  right-hand  side.  The  loose  end  of  the  sling-rope 
nearest  the  animal's  head,  on  the  near  side,  is  now  passed 
up  and  over  the  near  pack  through  the  loop,  brought  dowr. 
and  tied  in  a  square  knot  to  the  other  end  of  the  sling  rope. 
The  two  packs  are  thus  temporarily  fastened  to  the  animal's 
back  and  we  are  ready 

To  Throw  the  Diamond  Hitch. 

The  cinch  is  the  band  that  goes  under  the  horse's  belly. 
In  the  West  it  is  made  of  a  number  of  parallel  strings  of 
horse-hair  rope.  A  first-rate  substitute  can  be  made  from 
the  grass  rope  of  a  hammock ;  but  a  broad  canvas  or  web- 
bing band  will  answer  our  purposes. 

The  cinch  must  have  an  iron  ring  on  one  end  and  an  iron 
hook  on  the  other  (Figs.  318  and  326).  Pass  the  cinch  under 
the  horse's  belly,  bringing  the  ring  to  which  the  pack  rope 

is  attached  on  the 
near  side.  The 
packer  on  the  near 
side  must  throw 
the  line  to  his 
companion  on  the 
far  side,  who  pass- 
es it  through  the 
hook  and  throws 
it  back  so  that  it 
lies  forward  of  the 
portion  previous- 
ly passed  over. 
FIG.  319.  The  near  pack- 


Points  on  Camping  Out 


38? 


FIG.  320. 


er  passes  the  free 
end  of  the  rope 
down  and  un- 
der the  stand- 
ing part  (which  is 
the  part  fastened 
to  the  cinch) 
where  it  binds  on 
the  near  pack, 
which  of  course 
brings  the  free 
end  to  the  rear  of 
the  standing  part. 
Bring  the  free  end  forward  and  diagonally  down  to  the 
front  of  the  saddle  and  under  the  front  end  of  the  aparejo 
or  pack  saddle  (Figs.  318  and  319).  Bring  it  back  un- 
der the  standing  part  and  under  the  rear  corner  of  the 
aparejo.  The  free  end  is  now  thrown  over  the  animal 
to  the  packer  on  the  far  side.  The  near  packer  guides  the 
line  diagonally  forward  over  the  packs,  and  the  off  packer 
pulls  everything  tight.  In  order  to  hold  it  the  near  boy 
grabs  the  rear  corner  of  the  aparejo  and  the  rope  under  it 
with  one  hand  and  "  pinches"  it  over  the  corner  to  prevent 
it  from  slacking,  while  the  far  packer  passes  the  free  end 
over  and  under  the  standing  part  at  the  middle  of  the  horse's 
back  between  the  two  packs  (Figs.  318  and  320).  The  far 
packer  then  passes  the  free  end  under  the  rear  corner  of  his 
side  of  the  aparejo  and  passes  it  forward  under  everything 
to  the  forward  corner  of  the  aparejo.  He  passes  the  line 
up  over  the  forward  corner  of  the  aparejo  and  throws  the 
free  end  over  and  back  to  the  near  boy.  The  near  boy 
hauls  everything  tight  while  the  far  packer  guides  the  pack 
rope  diagonally  back  over  the  packs. 


388 


Autumn 


The  far  man  now  "  pinches  "  the  line  at  the  forward 
corner  of  the  aparejo,  while  the  near  packer  passes  the  line 
over  and  under  that  part  of  the  pack  rope  which  passes 
over  the  horse's  back  nearest  his  head  (Fig.  318).  He 

brings  the  free 
end  diagonally 
forward  and  down 
under  the  forward 
corner  of  the  apa- 
rejo (Figs.  318  and 

32i). 

Everything  is 
tightened  for 
the  last  time,  and 
the  free  end  is 
brought  back  and 
fastened  with  a 
single  bow-knot 
to  the  standing 

part  at  the  ring  (Fig.  321).  The  axe,  the  frying-pan,  and 
all  such  articles  are  thrust  under  the  ropes  (Fig.  321), 
and,  if  the  directions  have  been  properly  followed,  the  lug- 
gage will  stick  in  its  place  even  if  the  animal  rolls  over  a 
cliff.  There  was  once  a  mule  that  tried  this,  and  although 
he  fell  thirty  feet  and  did  considerable  damage  to  his  lug- 
gage, he  failed  to  dislodge  it,  and  his  pack  broke  his  fall 
and  saved  his  life. 

How  to  Make  Your  Own  Cinch. 

Procure  some  thick  wire,  and  if  you  have  no  con- 
veniences for  iron  work,  go  to  the  blacksmith  shop  and 
show  the  smith  how  to  bend  the  wire,  so  as  to  make  the 
ring  (Fig.  326  D  and  Fig.  324).  The  base  should  not  be  less 


Points  on  Camping  Otit 


389 


than  eight  or  nine  inches.  Let  him 
make  another  ring,  elongate  it  and  give 
it  a  twist,  as  in  Fig.  322.  Bend  it  over 
in  a  hook,  as  in  Fig.  323  ;  but,  if  you 
have  a  hammer,  a  hot  fire,  and  an  old 
paving  stone  for  an  anvil,  you  can  make 
your  own  hook  and  ring. 

Now  take  some  hammock  string 
and  fasten  it  with  a  lark's  head  to  the 
ring  (A,  Fig.  326).  Bring  the  two  ends 
over  to  the  base  of  the  hook,  around  and 
up  again,  as  shown  by  B  in  the  same 
diagram,  and  tie  in  a  square  knot  (Figs. 
122  and  123,  page  173).  Repeat  this, 
with  a  lark's  head  first  at  A,  and  a  knot 
at  B,  and  then  with  a  lark's  head  at  C, 
and  a  knot  at  D,  until  the  parallel 
strings  fill  up  the  space  on  the  bases 
of  the  hook  and  ring.  The  length  of 
the  cinch  depends  upon  the  size  of  the 
animal  that  is  to  wear  it.  The  ring 
and  hook  should  come  just  under  the 
edge  of  the  pack  saddle.  Two  inches 
on  each  side  of  the  centre  of  the  cinch 
weave  a  small  piece  of  twine,  and  tie  the 
ends  (Fig.  325).  Weave  two  more 
strings  four  inches  apart  near  the  ring, 
and  two  more  four  inches  apart  near  the 
hook.  These  are  for  spreaders.  All 
that  remains  to  be  done  is  to  fasten 
two  broad  sole -leather  pads  to  your 
cinch,  one  under  the  hook  and  one  un- 
der the  ring.  Punch  holes  with  an  awl 


FIG.  326. 


FIG.  322.    FIG.  323. 
Home  Made  Cinch. 


390 


Autumn 


or  a  nail  in  the  leather,  and  bind  it  with  twine  on  to  the 
base  of  the  hook  and  the  ring  (Fig.  324). 

The  advantage  of  a  horse-hair  cinch  is  that  it  will  not 
slip,  and  the  grass-twine  of  a  hammock  makes  a  first-class 
substitute.  My  cousin,  who,  as  I  have  already  said,  has 
spent  much  of  his  time  in  the  land  of  cow-boys  and  diamond 
hitches,  assures  me  that  the  grass-twine  cinch  possesses  all 
the  qualities  claimed  for  it. 

Cooking  Utensils  for  Camp. 

The  following  articles  are  almost  indispensable:  A  long- 
handled  frying-pan,  a  bunch  of  half  a  dozen  pieces  of  tele- 
graph wire,  each  two  feet  long,  with  which  to  make  a 
spider  or  broiler ;  by  simply  laying  them  across  the  fire  or 
over  the  hot  coals,  you  have  a  gridiron ;  you  may  bundle  it 
up  when  its  work  is  done;  three  or  four  assorted  tin  buck- 
ets for  cooking  purposes  and  for  water  ;  a  tin  coffee-pot ;  a 
long  iron  fork ;  a  long  iron  spoon  ;  some  cheap  tin  cups, 
plates,  and  spoons,  and  some  forks  and  knives. 

Food. 

If  you  do  not  want  to  go  hungry,  do  not  depend  upon 
the  fish  and  game  you  intend  to  capture  for  food  supply, 
but  take  along  some  boneless  bacon  and  fat  pork.  With 
the  latter,  you  can  cook  your  fish,  and  the  former  is  good 
for  a  relish  with  whatever  fresh  meat  you  may  secure. 
Then  you  should  have  some  good  ground  coffee  in  a 
tightly  closed  tin  box.  Some  tea  in  a  screw-top  glass  pre- 
serve-jar, sugar,  salt,  prepared  flour,  corn  meal,  rice,  beans, 
oat-meal,  condensed  milk,  evaporated  cream,  crackers,  and 
as  much  canned  or  dried  fruits  as  you  can  transport  without 
overloading— these  are  not  necessaries,  but  all  of  them  will 
come  handy  in  camp,  and  will  help  out  a  meal  when  the 
fish  do  not  bite  and  the  game  fails  to  come  and  be  shot. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII 
THE   BOYS'   BABY   BALLISTA 

How  to  Build  this  Warlike  Engine,  and  the  Fun  That  Can  be  Had  With 
It— Blow-guns  and  Their  Use — Blow-gun  Parachutes — The  Lariat, 
How  to  Make  and  Throw  it. 

IN  the  autumn  much  fun  may  be  had  with  a  Baby  Bal- 
lista,  which  is  constructed  in  this  way : 

From  a  two-inch  plank  make  a  base  plank  of  any  size 
that  may  suit  your  fancy,  say  four  feet  long.    Near  the  front 
end  of  the  baseboard  (C,  Fig.  327) 
and  at   equal   distances   from   the 
edge,    saw    and     chisel    out    two 
notches,  four  by  two  inches  each. 
These    mortises   are    for   the    up- 
rights A  and  B  (Fig.  327)  to  fit  in, 
where   they  must   be  secured   by 
screws  or  nails.     Make  A  and   B 
of  two  by  four  inch 
plank.     Next  select 
a  board  that  is  broad 
enough  to  form  the 
spreader  D  (Fig. 
328).     D  is  simply  a  FlG  327> 

board  a  trifle  longer 

than  C  is  broad  and  a  little  wider  than  A  or  B.      In  each 
end  a  mortise  is  cut  so  that  the  distance  between  the  edges 


392 


Aiitnmn 


of  the  rectangular  notches  or  mortises  is  exactly  the  dis- 
tance between  the  uprights  A  and  B  where  they  join  the 


FIG.  328. 


FIG.  329. 


base,  plank  C.    Fasten  D  in  place  near  the  tops  of  A  and  B 
by  driving  nails  above  and  below. 

Take  a  piece  of  good,  strong  clothes-line  and  bring  the 
ends  around  the  uprights  A  and  B,  and  tie  them  securely 
together  so  that  the  rope  forms  a  loop  which  is  tight 
enough  to  support  itself.  Now  from  a  long,  flat  piece  of 
strong  wood  make  the  bat  E  (Fig.  329),  make  it  a  little 
longer  than  the  base-board  C.  Take  a  short  stick,  some- 
what thicker  through  than  the  bat-stick  E,  and  with  it  thrust 
between  the  sides  of  the  loops  of  rope,  wind  the  stick  over 
and  over,  twisting  the  rope  G  until  it  is  very  tight.  Now 
carefully  slip  the  end  of  the  bat-stick  E  into  the  space 
occupied  by  the  thicker  stick  you  have  used  as  a  winder, 


The  Boys   Baby  Ballista 


393 


and  remove  the  short  stick,  leaving  E  in  place.  The  spring 
of  the  rope  will  force  the  bat-stick  into  the  position  shown 
in  Fig.  329,  and  if  the  upper  end  of  the  bat  is  pulled  down 
and  suddenly  let  go  it  will  strike  the  stretcher  D  with  a 
resounding  whack. 

From  an  old  tomato-can,  or  any  other  convenient  source, 
secure  a  piece  of  tin,  which  may  be  flattened  out  and  cut 
into  a  square.  With  a  nail,  make  four  holes  near  the 
centre.  Next  cut  four  slits  in  the  tin,  from  the  corners  of 
the  square  to  four  points  near  the  centre  of  the  tin.  At  the 
long  end  of  the  bat-stick  (E,  Figs.  330  and  331)  place  the 
piece  of  tin,  near  enough  to  the  end  of  the  stick  to  allow  free 
play  for  a  trigger  that  is  fastened  on  the  end  of  the  base- 


FIG.  331. 

board  (see  Fig.  331).  After  you  have  adjusted  the  tin  in  its 
proper  place,  with  a  pencil  thrust  through  the  nail-holes  in 
the  tin,  mark  the  spots  on  the  back-stick  underneath,  and 


394 


AMt^tmn 


with  a  gimlet  or  a  hot  iron  bore  four  holes  at  the  points 
marked.  Then  fasten  the  tin  to  the  bat-stick  with  a  piece  of 
wire.  Next  bend  up  the  edges  of  the  tin,  allowing  them 
to  overlap  each  other  until  they  form  a  cup  or  basin-shaped 
chamber  for  holding  the  shells  (Figs.  330  and  331). 

The  base-board  should  be  fastened  to  the  ground  to  pre- 
vent the  recoil  from  displacing  the  ballista  at -every  shot. 
Two  screw-eyes  are  screwed  in  the  base-board. 

The  trigger  is  fastened  to  the  end  of  the  base-plank  C. 
To  the  end  of  the  bat-stick  fasten  a  check-string;  allow 
the  other  end  of  the  string  to  pass  through  a  screw-eye  a 
short  distance  back  of  the  trigger,  thence  to  a  rude  cleat 
made  by  driving  two  nails  slanting  into  the  base-plank  (as 
may  be  seen  in  Fig.  331),  where  the  end  of  the  string  is  to  be 
made  fast  to  the  cleat. 

To  the  short  end  of  the  bat-stick  fasten  a  weight — a  sand- 
bag, a  flat-iron,  a  dumb-bell,  or  anything  heavy,  and  now 
your  ballista  is  ready  for  war.  But  you  have  no  ammuni- 
tion !  Stones  and  rocks  are  out  of  the  question,  as  the 
serious  consequences  that  almost  certainly  would  follow 
the  use  of  such  missiles  would  deter  any  self-respecting, 
law-abiding  boy  from  using  them,  and  if  the  boy  is  mali- 
cious and  fond  of  cruel  tricks  the  certainty  of  detection  in 
this  case  will  prevent  such  a  use  of  the  baby  ballista,  which 
was  invented  solely  for  fun-loving  boys.  The  baby  ballista 
throws  shells  that  burst  with  a  cloud  of  smoke,  and  it  would 
do  no  injury  to  a  boy  if  a  bomb  burst  on  his  head. 

The  Shells. 

These  are  made  of  tissue,  or  thin,  light  paper,  flour,  and 
dough.  Place  some  flour  in  the  paper,  then  a  piece  of 
dough  to  give  it  weight,  then  some  more  flour ;  gather  the 
corners  of  the  paper  and  twist  them  together  like  a  big 


The  Boys   Baby  Ballista  395 

paper  torpedo;  reinforce  the  twist  with  a  piece  of  thread 
or  string,  and  the  shell  is  complete.  Elevate  the  front  of 
the  ballista  T)y  placing  some  object  under  it — boards  or 
stones — fasten  the  other  end  securely,  with  the  check-string 
draw  back  the  bat  and  fasten  it  back  with  the  trigger. 
Place  a  shell  in  the  chamber,  pull  the  trip-string,  and— 
bang!  your  flour  bomb  is  hurled  through  the  air  at  great 
speed,  and  when  it  strikes  a  hard  object  the  paper  bursts, 
and  a  cloud  of  flour  flies  out  just  as  smoke  does  from  a 
gunpowder  shell. 

By  a  few  experiments  the  range  can  be  very  accurately 
measured,  so  that  it  is  possible  to  strike  repeatedly  the  same 
spot,  or  very  near  it.  This  is  done  by  shortening  the 
check-string  and  marking  the  length  with  a  knot  at  the 
screw-eye.  Now  load  and  fire,  and  mark  the  spot  where 
the  bomb  bursts,  let  out  some  more  check-line,  make  an- 
other trial  and  mark  the  length  with  a  knot,  thus  a  knotted 
check-string  will  mark  just  where  the  shells  will  reach,  and 
you  can  always  reach  the  point  you  wish  by  letting  out  or 
winding  up  the  check-line  to  the  proper  knot. 

The  foregoing  description  is  intended  for  an  engine  to 
work  in  the  city.  In  the  country  it  is  often  possible  to 
find  two  young  trees  of  green  growing  wood  that  will  an- 
swer for  the  uprights  A  and  B.  Out  in  the  woods  or  fields 
you  may  shoot  with  almost  any  object  without  endangering 
life  or  limb. 

Blow-guns. 

The  fierce  cannibals  of  Borneo,  the  quaint  and  artistic 
little  Javanese,  and  the  wild  red-men  of  South  America  all 
use  blow-guns  in  hunting,  and  even  to  fight  with.  When 
people  depend  for  their  dinner  or  personal  safety  upon  a 
"putty-shooter"  you  may  be  sure  that  they  learn  to  shoot 
with  great  accuracy.  Some  of  these  savages  u?e  poisoned 


396 


Auttimn 


arrows,  but  we  must  admit  that  even  a  poisoned  arrow  can 
do  but  little  execution  unless  it  hits  the  mark. 

The  naked  youngsters  of  Borneo  and  South  America 
acquire  great  skill  with  a  blow-gun,  and  there  is  no  reason 
why  the  bright,  intelligent  boys  of  this  country  should  not 
be  able  to  become  just  as  good  marksmen.  I  have  seen 


FIG.  332. 


FIG.  333. 


some  wonderful  shooting  with  a  putty-blower  in  New  York 
City,  and  I  recall  one  very  amusing  incident. 

1  was  returning  from  luncheon  and  had  reached  Broad- 
way when  my  attention  was  attracted  by  a  crowd.  I  found 
a  fakir  in  the  middle  of  the  crowd.  He  opened  his  big 
mouth  to  shout  his  wares,  then  suddenly  began  to  splut- 
ter, and  finally  spat  a  clay  pellet  out  of  his  mouth.  After 


The  Bays   Baby  Ballista  397 

the  pellet  came  emphatic  words  and  phrases  that  amused 
the  crowd,  but  did  not  tend  to  elevate  their  morals.  It 
was  odd,  and  I  laughed  heartily,  which  so  angered  the 
fellow  that  he  accused  me  of  filling  his  mouth  with  mud. 

No  one  in  the  crowd  knew  what  on  earth  was  the  matter 
with  the  man,  or  where  the  clay  came  from  ;  many  evi- 
dently thought  it  was  part  of  the  programme.  At  that 
moment  I  caught  sight  of  the  laughing  countenance  of  a  well- 
known  artist  *  in  a  window  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  street. 
Knowing  the  artist  very  well,  it  was  not  difficult  for  me  to 
imagine  where  the  clay  came  from.  As  if  for  the  purpose 
of  dispelling  all  doubts  in  my  mind,  the  mischievous  fellow 
put  a  long  glass  tube  to  his  mouth,  and  the  next  instant  a 
piece  of  blue  clay  flattened  itself  on  the  fakir's  hand.  The 
street  pedler  was  now  in  a  towering  rage,  and  I  saw  that 
he  was  looking  over  the  crowd  for  me.  Being  peaceably 
inclined,  I  quietly  left. 

Great  Skill  with  a  Blow-gun. 

This  particular  artist,  by  the  way,  was  exceedingly  skil- 
ful with  a  blow-gun.  Twice  I  have  seen  him,  using  a  com- 
mon glass  blow-gun,  on  the  top  of  a  five-story  building, 
put  a  pellet  into  the  mouth  of  a  fakir  on  the  sidewalk  oppo- 
site. His  good  marksmanship,  you  may  be  sure,  kept  the 
corners  around  that  building  clear  of  street  fakirs. 

Years  ago  the  Indians  inhabiting  the  banks  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi River  manufactured  beautiful  blow-guns  from  the 
stalks  of  cane  that  grows  in  the  cane-brake  along  the  shore. 
These  toys  were  taken  to  New  Orleans  and  other  cities 
by  the  aborigines  and  sold  to  the  boys.  Unless  the  art  of 

*  Before  this  book  went  to  press  my  genial  and  fun-loving  friend  ceased  his  merry 
pranks.  The  brush  and  pen  by  which  he  gained  honor  and  fame  are  laid  aside  forerer. 
You  will  miss  him,  for  you  all  know  him. 


398 


Autumn 


making  them  has  been  preserved  by  the  negroes  of  that 
section  there  are  probably  none  to  be  had  now,  but  the 
long  glass  tubes,  such  as  are  used  by  the  artist,  and  the 
common  tin  putty-shooter  can  be  bought  in  all  parts  of  the 
country. 

From  the  World's  Fair  I  secured  two  beautiful  blow- 
guns  made  in  Java,  and  a  few  split  bamboo  arrows.  Each  of 
these  arrows  had  a  lump  of  loose  raw  cotton  on  the  rear  end, 
big  enough  to  fill  the  blow-gun  so  that  it  might  be  expelled 
by  a  smart  puff  of  air  from  the  marksman's  lungs.  Anxious 
to  see  how  they  worked,  I  set  up  an  old  high  hat  and  the 
first  arrow  pierced  it  to  the  cotton  butt.  If  you  use  arrows 
in  the  place  of  clay  or  putty,  you  can  derive  plenty  of 
amusement  and  sport,  and  develop  remarkable  skill  by 
shooting  at  a  target. 

To  Make  the  Target. 

Hunt  up  an  old  wooden  hoop ;  one  from  a  barrel  will 
do  (Fig.  334).  Take  a  piece  of  a  sheet,  or  some  similar  cloth, 
dampen  it  thoroughly  and  lay  the  hoop  over  it  (Fig.  335), 
and  with  a  pair  of  shears  trim  the  cloth  in  the  form  of  a 
circle  around  the  hoop  to  fold  over.  From  your  mother's 
work-basket  borrow  a  large  darning-needle ;  thread  it  with 
cotton  string,  and  sew  the  cloth  to  the  hoop  by  a  stitch  run- 
ning over  and  over  the  hoop  (Fig.  336). 

A  good  piece  of  strong  paper  is  the  next  thing  required. 
Place  the  cloth-covered  hoop  over  the  paper,  and  with  the 
shears  trim  off  the  paper,  as  is  shown  in  Fig.  337.  Cover  the 
paper  with  flour  paste,  and  paste  the  paper  on  the  damp 
cloth,  turning  the  edges  of  paper  over  the  hoop  as  in  Fig. 
338.  Allow  it  to  dry.  When  it  is  perfectly  dry  it  will  be  as 
tight  as  a  drumhead. 

-  339  shows  the  front  of  the  target  as  it  should  now 


The  Boys   Baby  Ballista 


399 


FIG.  334. 


FIG.  335. 


FIG.  336. 


FIG.  337. 


FIG.  338. 


FIG.  339. 


FIG.  340.       FIG.  341. 


appear.  Fig.  340  shows  how  to  fasten  the  legs  on.  Fig. 
341  shows  the  hind  leg,  which  must  be  fastened  only  at  the 
top  by  a  piece  of  flexible  leather 
for  a  hinge.  In  Fig.  342  can  be 
seen  all  three  legs  attached. 

With  a  pot  of  marking  paint, 
or  with  common  ink,  paint  a  cen- 
tre bull's-eye  and  a  couple  of  cir- 
cles on  the  paper  covering  the 
target  and  you  have  the  finished 
butt.  Split  pieces  of  bamboo,  or 
an  old  fishing- pole,  into  small 
pieces  of  about  the  thickness  of  a 
match  and  twice  as  long,  sharpen 
one  end  of  each  piece  and  roll  a 
bit  of  cotton  very  loosely  around  FIG.  343. 


400  Autumn 


the  blunt  end  of  the  arrow.  Fasten  the  cotton  at  the  point 
nearest  the  point  of  the  arrow  with  a  bit  of  thread  or  chew- 
ing-gum. Do  not  put  too  much  cotton  on  the  blunt  ends 
of  your  arrows,  only  sufficient  to  make  the  bamboo  fit 
loosely  in  your  blow-gun. 

With  a  long  cane  or  bamboo  blow-pipe  from  Java  I  sent 
such  an  arrow  through  a  heavy  curtain  in  my  studio.  Ar- 
rows that  can  be  sent  with  such  force  are  dangerous  and 
should  only  be  used  in  target  practice. 

Blow-gun  Parachutes. 

If  you  cut  out  a  small,  circular  piece  of  very  fine  cloth 
or  silk,  and  with  a  tack  made  of  a  pin  that  has  been  filed  off, 
tack  the  centre  of  the  cloth  to  the  end  of  a  bamboo  arrow, 
using  a  bit  of  writing  paper  as  a  washer  to  prevent  the  pin- 
head  from  pulling  through  the  cloth,  you  may  make  a  dainty 
little  parachute.  Fasten  a  number  of  pieces  of  thread  neat- 
ly to  the  edges  of  the  cloth,  and  make  them  long  enough, 
that  when  the  cloth  is  folded  the  strings  will  just  reach  the 
cotton  end  of  the  arrow.  The  threads  must  all  be  exactly 
the  same  length  and  neatly  tied  to  the  stick  about  a  quarter 
of  its  length  from  the  butt  end. 

Shoot  this  arrow  up  in  the  air,  and  if  you  have  made  it 
properly  when  it  descends  the  heavy  end  will  fall  first  and 
will  spread  your  little  parachute  like  a  tiny  silk  umbrella, 
and  it  will  float  airily  down. 

After  you  have  made  a  few  experiments  you  will  dis- 
cover how  much  weight  you  need  at  the  blunt  end  of  the 
arrow,  and  this  may  be  adjusted  by  bits  of  chewing-gum  or 
putty. 

When  you  once  succeed  you  will  feel  rewarded  for  your 
labor  by  the  sight  of  the  beautiful  little  air-ships  sailing  so 


The  Boys   Baby  Ballista  401 

lightly  through  the  air,  and  no  one  not  in  the  secret  can  tell 
how  it  is  possible  to  shoot  such  things  from  a  blow-gun.* 

If  the  reader  looks  upon  blow-guns  as  playthings  for 
small  boys,  let  him  try 

La  Riata— The  Lariat. 

Properly  speaking,  there  is  no  such  thing  as  a  "  lasso." 
You  may  lasso  things  with  la  riata,  but  you  cannot  carry 
a  "  lasso,"  because  lasso  is  a  verb,  and  no  cow-boy  carries  a 
verb  coiled  at  his  saddle-bow  though  he  may  have  strings 
of  forcible  adjectives  under  his  tongue. 

The  American  cowboy  learned  the  use  of  la  riata  from 
the  Mexican,  and  he  shortened  the  name  and  called  it  lariat, 
which  has  become  the  accepted  name  among  Americans ; 
but  even  this  to  the  cow-boy's  ears  sounds  too  much  like 
"  Greaser  talk,"  so  he  now  calls  it  lass-rope  or  simply  rope, 
and  when  he  lassos  a  steer  he  briefly  says  he  "  roped  it." 

Boys'  books  are  full  of  accounts  and  rules  for  archery 
and  cricket,  both  of  which  are  essentially  English  sports 
and  have  never  become  thoroughly  naturalized  in  this 
country,  but  the  graceful  and  useful  art  of  throwing  the 
lariat  has  never  received  the  attention  it  deserves  or  been 
seriously  adopted  as  a  sport  by  our  boys.  Many  of  them, 
however,  after  visiting  the  Wild  West  show  have  played 
cow-boy,  and  with  a  bit  of  old  clothes-line  have  made  awk- 
ward efforts  to  lasso  their  comrades,  who,  it  is  presumed, 
represented  the  buffalo  of  the  Wild  West. 

The  very  best  lariats  are  made  of  raw  hides.  On  Rose- 
bud River  there  lives,  or  formerly  lived,  a  half-breed  who 

*  This  toy  is  not  altogether  original  with  the  author.  He  saw  something  of  the 
kind  described  in  a  paper,  but  regrets  that  he  is  unable  to  remember  what  paper  it 
was,  and  is  thus  unable  to  quote  or  give  credit  for  the  suggestion.  Its  application 
to  the  blow-gun  is  believed  to  be  original. 


402 


Autumn 


was  so  skilful  a  workman  that  he  could  with  propriety  be 
called  a  lariat  artist.     One  of  the  raw-hide  ropes  that  he 

made  I  have  in  my  studio,  and 
it  is  admired  by  every  cattle- 
man who  chances  to  see  it. 

How  the  Raw-hide  Lariat  is 
Made. 

The  raw  hide  is  first  cut 
into  strips  as  long  as  the  hide 
will  allow.  The  hide  is  half- 
tanned  without  removing  the 
hair.  The  strips  are  next  soaked 
in  water  and  stretched  over  a 
block,  after  which  they  are  neat- 
ly braided  into  a  rope.  During 
the  latter  process  they  are  care- 
fully pulled  as  tight  as  possible. 
When  this  is  done  the  rope 
is  buried  in  the  ground  and  al- 
lowed to  remain  in  the  earth  two  weeks  to  soften,  after 
which  it  is  dug  up  and  again  stretched  over  a  block  by 
means  of  heavy  weights.  After  the  hair  has  been  sand- 
papered off,  the  rope  thoroughly  oiled  or  greased  with 
mutton  tallow  and  properly  noosed,  it  is  ready  for  use. 

The  lariats  are  made  either  forty  or  fifty  feet  long,  ac- 
cording to  the  preference  of  the  maker.  Mr.  Charles  Lum- 
mis  says  the  standard  lariat  is  forty  feet  in  length,  but  from 
other  sources  I  learn  that  there  are  two  standards,  one  of  fifty 
and  one  of  forty  feet.  The  lariats  vary  also  in  thickness  from 
three-eighths  of  an  inch  to  half  an  inch.  It  takes  a  hardy, 
tough  man  to  wield  one  of  such  dimensions.  A  rope  twenty 
or  thirty  feet  long  is  long  enough  for  any  boy  to  handle. 


FIG.  343. 


The  Boys   Baby  Ballista 


403 


How  to  Make  a  Boy's  Lariat. 

A  small  iron  ring,  or  eyelet,  such  as  is  used  on  sails  and 
awnings,  may  be  obtained  at  the  hardware  shop  for  a  few 
cents.  One  end  of  the  small  rope,  selected  for  the  lariat, 
must  now  be  unravelled,  and  the  loose  ends  brought  care- 
fully around  the  ring  from  opposite  directions,  meeting 
again  at  the  unwound  part  of  the  rope.  Here  they  must 
lie  neatly  upon  each  side  of  the  rope,  bound  tightly  in  place 
with  a  strong  piece  of  twine  as  described  in  Chapter 
XXXIV.,  Figs.  355-364.  The 
other  end  of  the  rope  should 
be  wound  in  the  same  manner 
to  prevent  it  from  unravelling. 
This  will  make  as  good  a  lariat 
as  that  used  by  many  an  expert 
cow-boy. 

In  certain  parts  of  the  coun- 
try this  form  of  "  lass  rope  " 
is  used  exclusively.  Of  course 
when  a  boy  becomes  an  expert 
he  will  be  ambitious  to  have  a 
raw-hide  rope,  and  by  writing 
to  a  Chicago  firm,  or  some 
Western  saddlery  shop,  he  may 
procure  one  at  market  rates, 
which  vary  from  eight  to  twen- 
ty dollars.  There  is  also  a 
braided  linen  line  that  is  very 
good.  But  the  home  -  made 
rope  will  answer  all  boyish  purposes  and  afford  him  more 
pleasure  than  the  heavy  raw-hide  "  wolly "  Western  one 
can. 


FIG.  344. 


404 


Autumn 


How  to  Throw  the  Rope. 

Mr.  Lummis  recommends  a  loop  of  seven  feet  diameter 
to  begin  with,  while  the  expert,  Mr.  Louis  Ohnimus,  starts 
with  a  noose  only  a  foot  or  a  foot  and  one-half  in  diam- 
eter, allowing  the  rope  to  slip  and  the  noose  to  grow  larger 
as  he  swings  it ;  but  most  of  my  rope-throwing  friends  ad- 
vise the  large  loop. 

Take  your  position  in  front  of  a  target,  a  post  for 
instance.  Run  the  end  of  the  rope  through  the  ring  or 
"  honda,"  as  it  is  called.  Coil  the  rope  in  your  left  hand, 
carefully  leaving  about  six  feet  of  loose  rope  between  the 
coil  and  the  noose,  and  see  that  there  are  no  kinks  in  the 
line  and  that  the  coils  will  slip  easily  off  when  the  noose  is 
thrown  (Fig.  343).  Take  hold  of  the  noose  with  your  right 
hand  about  a  foot  from  the  ring,  and  with  the  same  hand 
grasp  the  rope  the  same  distance  below  the  ring  or  honda 
(pronounced  onda)  (Fig.  343).  Do  not  hold  your  wrist  stiff- 
ly, but  allow  it  to  move  easily  as  you  swing  the  noose 
over  your  head  from  right  to  left  (Fig. 


344).    Let  your  wrist  act 

as  an  axle,  and  swing  the  rope  as  if  it 

were   a  wheel  revolving   horizontally 

around  your  wrist  and  over  your  head. 

Let  it   move  with   sufficient  force  to 

lengthen  the  noose,  if  you  use  the  small 

noose,  and  swift  enough  to  enable  you 

to  guide  it  if  you  have  started  with  a 

large  noose.     When  you  feel  that  the  FlG  345 

proper  time  has  arrived  for  making  the 

cast,  choose  the   moment  as  your  swinging   hand   comes 


The  Boys   Baby  Ballista  405 

around  from  back  to  front,  give  a  quick  step  forward, 
bring  your  hand,  with  palm  down,  forward  and  down  to 
the  level  of  your  shoulder,  let  it  stretch  to  a  full  arm's- 
length  without  interrupting  the  swinging  motion  of  the 
noose,  and  let  it  go  at  the  post  (Fig.  345). 

In  throwing  the  rope  the  right  side  of  the  loop  should 
be  lower  than  the  other ;  then  this  side  will  strike  first  and 
throw  the  other  side  over  the  object. 

If  you  have  followed  these  rules  without  a  slip  it  will 
not  be  a  bad  throw  even  though  it  is  your  first,  and  if 
you  failed  to  circle  the  post  you  at  least  saw  the  noose  sail 
straight  at  it  without  losing  its  circular  form,  and  this  will 
encourage  you  to  try  again  and  again  until  the  poor  post 
will  become  red  in  the  face  from  the  chokings  it  receives. 

First  strive  to  send  the  noose  sailing  on  a  level  course. 
When  this  is  achieved  more  than  half  the  battle  is  won, 
and  you  can  begin  to  teach  your  playmates  this  sport. 
Besides  being  typically  American  and  great  as  an  educator 
of  the  eye  and  developer  of  the  muscles,  it  may  be  an  ex- 
ceedingly useful  acquisition  to  a  boy's  list  of  accomplish- 
ments. Many  a  life  of  skater  and  swimmer  has  been  lost 
that  would  have  been  saved  had  any  of  the  panic-stricken 
.spectators  been  able  to  cast  a  rope  with  even  a  small  de- 
gree of  accuracy. 

The  Lariat  on  Horseback. 

Here  you  do  not  coil  the  rope,  for  it  is  ready  coiled  at 
your  saddle-bow.  The  loop,  however,  when  the  rope  is 
coiled  at  your  saddle-bow  is  only  the  size  of  the  fakes,  or 
coil-loops  ;  so  the  noose  must  be  lengthened.  You  simply 
lift  the  rope  from  the  saddle,  and  throw  as  described.  The 
lariat  is  not  made  fast  to  the  horn  of  the  saddle,  because 


406  Autumn 


that  is  exceedingly  dangerous.  A  big  bull,  steer,  horse,  or 
even  some  of  the  smaller  animals,  when  improperly  roped, 
can  throw  horse  and  man.  When  the  strain  comes  the 
rider  makes  a  hitch  over  the  saddle-horn  that  will  hold  if 
necessary,  or  that  he  can  cast  loose  if  the  occasion  de- 
mands. A  cow-puncher  who  ties  the  riata  to  the  saddle- 
horn  is  looked  upon  with  scorn  by  his  more  proficient 
neighbors.  The  end  of  the  rope  should  be  held  loosely  in 
the  left  hand  until  the  animal  is  caught,  and  then  a  couple 
of  quick  turns  are  taken  with  it  around  the  saddle-horn. 

Said  a  Western  friend  to  me,  "  In  roping  from  your  horse 
the  horse  is  trained  to  brace  back  as  the  rope  tightens.  In 
roping  a  cow  or  a  steer  the  forefoot  is  always  the  target, 
never  the  head.  All  you  have  to  do,"  he  continued,  "  is  to 
throw  the  rope  in  front  of  the  beast  so  that  the  side  of  the 
noose  nearest  the  cow  is  on  the  ground  and  the  other  side  in 
the  air.  Then  the  animal  will  step  right  into  it.  See  ?  " 

I  saw  and  tried  it  many  times.  It  can  be  done  after 
practice,  no  doubt,  for  cow-boys  do  it,  but  it  is  not  so  easj 
as  it  sounds. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV 
"TALLY-HO"  AND  OTHER  CRIES 

The  Origin  of  "Hello"  and  "Tally  ho"— Indian  War  whoops  and  Col* 
lege  Yells— Boys'  Cries. 

WOLVES  were  formerly  very  numerous  in  England.  It 
was  some  time  after  the  introduction  of  firearms  that  the 
last  one  was  killed.  A  legend  similar  to  that  told  of  Gen- 
eral Putnam  credits  a  man  and  his  son  by  the  name  of  Pol- 
son  with  killing  the  last  English  wolf.  The  celebrated  Sir 
Ewen  Cameron  of  Lochiel  killed  the  last  wolf  in  Scotland 
in  1697.  In  the  bog  of  Kilcrea,  in  Ireland,  wolves  remained 
until  the  beginning  of  the  last  century. 

Wolf-hunting  in  England 

was  formerly  not  only  an  exciting  sport  but  a  duty  which 
the  government  enforced  upon  its  subjects.  King  Edgar 
remitted  the  punishment  for  certain  crimes  if  the  criminal 
could  produce  a  given  number  of  wolves'  tongues.  There 
was  formerly  a  law  which  forced  all  the  barons  "  to  hunt 
and  chase  the  wolfe  and  wolfe  whalp  (whelps)  four  times 
a  year  and  as  often  as  they  see  them.  The  Scherrif  and 
Bailie  to  hunt  them  thrice  a  year,  with  power  to  raise  the 
country  to  their  assistance." 

When  we  remember  how  the  wolves  ran  in  large  packs 
in  the  great  forests  we  may  imagine  what  a  time  they  must 


408  Autumn 


have  had  in  those  wolf-hunts.  How  the  burly  old  English 
hunters  must  have  shouted  !  And  what  did  they  shout  ? 

The  French  language  was  the  language  of  the  court, 
and  they  used  the  French  wolf-hunter's  cry  of  "  Hab  le 
loup  !  a  lou  loup  !  "  or  "  au  loup  !  "  Gradually  the  French 
words  were  modified  to  "a-loo!"  The  wolves  became 
extinct  and  the  English  added  their  favorite  H  and  shouted 
"  Ha-loo ! "  In  this  country  the  ancient  wolf-hunter's  cry  is 
principally  used  to  call  up  "  Central "  on  the  telephone,  and 
we  call  it  "  Hello." 

It  will  be  noticed  that  all  cries  have  a  marked  similarity. 
This  is  not  because  they  all  come  from  the  same  source,  but 
because  only  such  calls  as  possess  great  carrying  qualities 
are  retained  in  use.  Two  hundred  years  ago,  according  to 
a  magazine  of  that  date,  the  English  fox-hunter's  cry  was 

"Tallio,   Hoix,  Hark,  Forward," 

which  is  a  corruption  of  the  French  hunter's  call.  Four 
hundred  years  ago  the  gay  French  hunter  encouraged  his 
dogs  with  the  musical  cry  of  "  Thia-hilaud  a  qui  forheur  !  " 
sometimes  printed  "  Tya-hillaut  a  qui  forheur."  From  this 
the  English  manufactured  "Tallio,  hoix,  hark,  forward." 
Later  it  has  been  abbreviated  to  simply 

"  Tally-ho." 

In  very  ancient  times  each  soldier  wore  for  a  uniform 
whatever  clothes  he  could  procure,  and  no  two  were  dressed 
alike.  They  had  no  banners  or  flags,  but  fought  after  the 
manner  of  our  own  American  Indians,  and  like  them  they 
had  their  war-whoops.  Every  boy  in  America  has  felt  the 

*  These  huntsmen's  shouts  are  given  in  a  quaint  and  »re  old  French  book  illustrated 
with  the  queer  pictures  of  the  day  and  entitled  "  La  Venerie  de  Jacques  du  Fouilloux, 
i  Paris  1573." 


"Tally-Ho"  and  Other  Cries  409 

cold  chills  run  down  his  back  as  he  has  read  of  the  silence 
of  the  frontier  settlement  being  suddenly  broken  by  the 
"  blood-curdling  yells  of  the  Indians."  A  neighbor  of  mine 
who  formerly  employed  a  half-tamed  Indian  tells  me  that 
on  rare  occasions  the  semi-savage  allowed  the  children  to 
persuade  him  to  give  a  war-whoop,  "  which  he  did  with 
such  energy  that  every  living  thing  within  hearing  would 
stand  spell-bound  with  astonishment  or  terror,  until  the 
echoes  had  died  away." 

I  never  heard  this  Indian,  but  have  heard  what  pur- 
ported to  be  the 

War-cry  of  the  Wild  Tribes, 

and  I  think  it  no  worse  than,  nor  indeed  half  as  bad  as,  some 
of  the  yells  given  by  the  college  or  foot-ball  teams.  If  you 
can  imagine  that  one  of  these  foot-ball  teams  was  intent 
upon  scalping  you  and  burning  your  house,  and  if  the  still- 
ness of  the  night  should  be  suddenly  broken  by  their 
"  Rah  !  rah  !  rah  !  siss-boom-ah  !  "  it  would,  without  doubt, 
make  your  hair  stand  on  end. 

The  Greeks  had  their  "  Eleleu! "  the  Scripture  Alleluia, 
the  Welsh  their  "  Ubub,"  the  Irish,  "  Ullulu,"  the  Scots 
their  various  slogans. 

"The  Rebel  Yell." 

The  old  backwoodsmen  that  formed  the  rear-guard  in 
our  Revolution  swept  down  on  the  redcoats  with  a  yell 
that  made  British  hearts  stop  beating,  and  in  the  Civil  War 
of  1861-65  the  descendants  of  these  old  backwoodsmen  in 
the  Confederate  Army  gave  the  same  cry,  and  it  was  then 
known,  and  is  still  spoken  of,  as  the  rebel  yell.  It  was  bor- 
rowed from  the  Indians  by  the  first  settlers. 

In  olden  times   the  Frenchman   when  he   charged  the 


4i  o  Autumn 


enemy  cried  "  Monte  Joye,  St.  Dennis,"  which  was  changed 
to  "  Tue,  tue!  "  and  the  ancient  Irishman  shouted  "  Farrah  ! 
farrah !  "  The  Scotch  kings  yelled  "  St.  Andrew  ! "  but  every 
clan  in  Scotland  had  its  own  particular  slogan.  The  John- 
stones  cried  "  Light  thieves  all !  "  the  MacGregors,  "  Ard 
choille ! "  while  the  MacFarlane's  watchwords  were  "  Loch 
Sloidh  !  " 

At  first  war-cries  were  only  used  by  chiefs,  princes,  or 
commanders,  and  at  tournaments  the  heralds  thus  pro- 
claimed them.  Now  the  degenerate  descendants  of  these 
burly  old  fighting  men  use  the  self-same  watchwords  or 
war-cries  as  mottoes.  In  place,  however,  of  being  shouted 
from  the  hairy  throats  of  men-at-arms  to  arouse  warriors, 
they  are  embroidered  on  handkerchiefs,  painted  on  private 
coaches,  and  used  for  book-plates ! 

"Coo-ee!" 

is  the  call  for  help  and  the  signal  for  recognition  through- 
out Australasia.  The  yell  is  borrowed  from  the  natives, 
and  has  remarkable  carrying  powers.  It  has  been  heard 
over  the  plains  at  wonderfully  long  distances.  This  cry  is 
given  in  a  head-tone  something  like  the  New  York  City 
milkman's  early  morning  whoop.  In  the  Australian  bush 
anyone  hearing  the  "  Coo-ee  !  "  is  bound  by  the  laws  of  the 
bush  to  reply,  as  it  invariably  means  that  some  one  has  lost 
his  way,  or  has  met  with  some  accident  and  needs  assist- 
ance. 

In  the  great  Southwest  of  our  own  country,  on  the 
plains  and  in  the  mountains,  the  woodsmen  and  travellers 
use  the  Indian  yell  of 

"  Yaqui ! " 

from  which  the  tribe  of  Indians  takes  its  name.  This  cry 
is  only  used  as  a  "hello."  The  first  syllable  is  given  in 


"Tally- Ho"  and  Other  Cries  411 

chest-,  the  second  in  head-tones,  and  the  latter  is  generally 
prolonged.  It  is  claimed  that  this  call  will  carry  farther 
than  "  Coo-ee." 

Small    Boys'   Call. 

All  small  boys  in  America  have  a  peculiar  method  by 
which  they  signal  or  call  to  each  other.  This  they  do  by  a 
yell  in  which  they  suddenly  change  from  a  head-voice  to  a 
chest-voice,  and  produce  a  sort  of  warbling  shriek  that  it  is 
impossible  for  me  to  indicate  with  letters,  but  can  easily  be 
understood  by  any  one  who  has  ever  heard  the  cry  of  the 
Loon  or  Great  Northern  Diver.  After  the  boys  grow  older 
and  their  voices  change  it  is  impossible  for  them  to  give  the 
call  of  their  childhood. 

"Whoo-ah!" 

In  parts  of  the  South  the  boys  use  a  cry  which  is  prob- 
ably an  importation  from  Africa,  brought  over  by  the  slave 
children.  As  near  as  I  can  spell  it  it  is  "  Whoo-ah !  "  or 
"  Hough-ah ! "  to  which  is  generally  added  the  name  of  the 
playmate  who  is  thus  greeted  or  called,  as  "  Hough-ah, 
Ralph !  "  The  cry  is  uttered  in  a  loud  but  peculiarly  soft 
tone,  with  a  rising  inflection  on  the  hough.  The  rather 
long-drawn  "  ah ! "  is  given  in  a  lower  tone. 

"Mee-ma  Red  Eye!" 

Another  odd  cry,  the  meaning  of  which  I  never  learned, 
is  from  Kentucky.  It  is  "  Mee-ma !  mee-ma  !  "  Often  the 
words  "  Red  eye  "  are  added  to  the  cry,  making  it  Mee- 
ma,  red  eye !  mee-ma  ! "  Generally  this  cry  is  used  in  deri- 
sion. If  one  boy  excels  another  in  jumping  he  cries 
"  Mee-ma !  "  or  the  victorious  ball-nine  will  "  Mee-ma  "  the 
vanquished  nine. 


412 


Autztmn 


"Oh!" 

In  the  East  one  boy  calls  to  another  by  simply  shouting 
his  name,  as  "  Johnny  !  "  or,  "  Say,  Johnny  !  "  but  in  the 
Southwest  the  boys  cry  "  Oh,  Johnny  !  "  with  a  long-drawn 
"  Oh." 

For  some  reason  little  attention  has  been  paid  to  these 
peculiar  cries  by  students  of  folk-lore  and  their  origin  is 
doubtful. 

"Lil!"  "Track!"   "Way!" 

are  the  shouts  of  warning  sounded  by  boys  when  coast- 
ing. In  Cincinnati,  O.,  and  Covington,  Ky.,  they  cry 
"  Track  !  Clear  the  track  !"  as  they  come  tearing  down  the 
hill  on  their  long  sleds  with  solid  runners  bound  with  half- 
round  iron.  In  the  vicinity  of  New  York  the  bob-sleigh's 
pilot  shouts  "  Way  !  "  an  abbreviation  of  "  Clear  the  way  ;  " 
but  in  certain  parts  of  Yankeedom  the  bob-sleigh  lads  cry 
"  Lil !  HI !  lil ! "  the  origin  of  which  is  lost  in  the  forgotten 
and  unrecorded  lore  of  boyhood. 

The  Nereus  Boat  Club  boys  of  Flushing,  L.  I.,  have  a 
very  effective  yell  which  can  easily  be  heard  and  dis- 
tinguished for  long  distances  over  the  water.  It  begins 
with  a  head-note  and  ends  with  three  chest-notes : 

"K-e-e  Yoy!  Hoo  !  Hoo!" 

The  first  syllable  is  long  drawn  out,  the  second  is  a  little 
shorter,  and  the  last  two  are  short  and  quick. 

Most  of  the  college  yells  consist  of  a  repetition  of  an 
abbreviation  of  "  Hoorah,"  repeated  over  and  over  again 
with  the  name  of  the  college  thrown  in  the  middle  or  at  the 
end  of  the  cry.  This  is  sometimes  varied  by  the  addition 
of  an  imitation  of  the  ascent  of  a  sky-rocket  and  of  the  ex. 


''Tally- Ho"  and  Other  Cries  413 

clamation  of  the  spectators  when  they  behold  the  bursting 
rocket  shed  its  shower  of  golden  fire.  This  is  rendered 
"  Siss  ! "  the  rocket  ascending  ;  "  boom  !  "  the  rocket  ex- 
ploding ;  "  ah  !  "  the  people's  expression  of  admiration  and 
pleasure. 

The  notes  of  frogs,  dogs,  and  crowing  cocks  are  often 
introduced.  One  Brooklyn  military  company  has  a 
"  tiger "  composed  of  a  provincial  expression  borrowed 
from  the  farmers.  When  drawled  out  by  a  hundred  throats 
the  phrase,  "  I-wanter-know !  "  always  produces  a  laugh. 

Princeton. 

All  who  have  visited  the  foot-ball  fields  where  the  des- 
perate contest  for  the  championship  between  the  colleges 
takes  place  are  familiar  with  the  wild  yell  of  the  Princeton 
tigers  which  is  delivered  in  thirty  seconds'  time  at  each 
good  play  or  bad  play  of  the  striped-legged  gladiators, 
"  Hurrah  !  Hurrah  !  Hurrah  !  Tiger  -  siss  -  boom  -  ah  ! 
PRINCETON  !  "  And  the  sturdy  sons  of 

Yale 

reply  vehemently  and  vociferously  three  times  three, 
"Rah!  rah!  rah!  Rah!  rah!  rah!  Rah!  rah!  rah! 
YALE!  "  quickly  and  sharply  enunciated.  The  crimson 

Harvard. 

Harvard  boys  cry,  with  long-drawn  deep  notes,  "  Rah, 
rah  !  rah !  Rah !  rah  !  rah  !  Rah  !  rah  !  rah  !  HARVARD  I " 

Cornell. 

Better  than  any  one  of  the  foregoing,  in  my  opinion,  is 
the  "Cornell  I  yell!  yell!  yell!  CORNELL!"  This  yell 
will  make  more  noise  for  a  few  men  than  any  other  except, 


414  Autumn 


possibly,  the  old  (not  the  present)  Lehigh  yell.  Then  there 
is  the  odd,  "  chewy  "  cheer  of  the 

Williams  College 

boys,  with  its  emphatic  start  and  finish,  "  Rah,  rah,  rah  ! 
Yums !  yams !  yums !  WILLYUMS  !  " 

Trinity  College 

boys  hurrah  with  a  "  Rah  !  rah  !  rah  !  Trinity !  Boom-rah  ! 
Boom-rah!  TRIN-EYE-TEEE ! " 

Wesleyan   College 

lads  are  rivals  of  the  Trinities  and  send  back  an  an- 
swering  yell  of  "Rah  !  rah  !  rah  !  rah  !  Wesleyana  !  Rah! 
rah !  rah !  rah  !  "  which  is  answered  by  the 

Brown 

fellows  with  a  hearty  "  Rah,  rah,  rah,  rah !     BROWN !  " 

After  all  the  monotonous  "  Rah !  rah !  rahs ! "  it  is 
quite  refreshing  to  hear  the  original  wild  and  woolly  cry 
of  the 

Colorado 

boys,  as  with  Western  enthusiasm  they  swing  their  hats 
and  shout  "  Rah !  rah  !  rah  !  Pike's  Peak  or  bust !  Colorado 
College  !  Yell  we  MUST ! " 

The  Leland  Stanford,  Jr., 

boys  borrowed  their  yell  from  the  red-men,  "  Wah  hoo!  Ya 
hoo!L.  S.  J.  U!    STANFORD!" 
In  the 

Dartmouth 

cheer  the  soft  notes  suggest  Indian  origin,  but  they  are 
very  musical  compared  with  the  rasping  yell  of  some  of  the 


"Tally- Ho"  and  Other  Cries  415 

others :  "  Hi !  hi !  hi !  Rah !  rah  !  rah  !  D-d-d-d-Dartmouth, 
wah,  who,  wah  ! "  or,  "  Wah,  who,  wah  !  Wah,  who,  wah  ! 
Da,  di,  di  Dartmouth  !  Wah,  who,  wah  !  " 

The  old  Knickerbockers  have  left  an  heir-loom  in  their 
rally  which  has  been  incorporated  in  the 

Union  College 

cheer  of  "Rah,  rah,  rah!  U-N-I-O-N.  Hikah !  hikah ! 
hikah !  " 

Possibly  the  honor  of  having  a  yell  that  consumes  the 
most  time  in  voicing  belongs  to  the 

University  of  Illinois, 

but  time  is  no  object  to  these  boys  so  long  as  they  continue 
to  make  a  noise,  and,  if  possible,  drown  the  cries  of  their 
rivals  with  "  Rah,  hoo,  rah  !  Zipp,  boom,  ah  !  Hip-zoo  ! 
Rah-zoo'.  Jimmy  blow  your  bazoo !  Ip-sidi-iki  U.  of  I. 
campaign  !"  The  length  of  the  above  is  in  strong  contrast 
with  the  brevity  of  the  yell  of 

Hanover. 

The  Hanover  boys  think  they  can  make  just  as  much 
noise  with  their  short  cry  of  "  Han  !  Han  !  HANOVER  ! " 
and  doubtless  do  when  their  lungs  are  in  good  condition. 
Like  the  Knickerbocker  Dutchmen,  the  early  French  set- 
tlers of  Missouri  have  left  a  bit  of  their  mother  tongue  in 
the  watchwords  of 

Westminster. 

Of  course  the  inevitable  "  'rah  "  is  the  opening  note  of 
their  slogan.  "  Rah,  rah,  rah  !  Oh,  yes,  sir !  Vive-la, 
Vive-la!  WESTMINSTER!" 


416  Autumn 


Cornell,  of  Iowa, 

does  not  want  to  be  confounded  with  the  other  Cornell, 
and  though  they  have  had  numerous  war-cries,  I  believe 
they  have  now  settled  down  to  a  sort  of  sky-rocket  noise, 
represented  by  "  Zip-siss-boom  !  .  Cor-cor-nell !  C-C.  tiger- 
la  !  Zip-siss-hurrah  !  " 

Amherst 

has  a  cheer  of  the  conventional  type:  "  Rah  !  rah  !  rah  !  " 
etc.,  and  terminating  with  the  name  of  their  institution. 
Boston  people  are  modest  folk  until  they  mention  their 
beautiful  city  of  crooked  streets.  Then  they  swell  with 
pride,  and  the  pupils  of 

The  Boston  University 

modestly  give  their  cry  under  their  breath  until  they  come 
to  the  final  Boston,  which  word  is  given  with  the  full  force 
of  their  lungs,  thus  :   "  Boston,  B-B-BOSTON  !     Varsity  ! 
Varsity!  Varsity!     Rah!  rah!  rah!" 
It  is  told  of  the 

Cumberland  University 

that  they  once  gave  an  out-door  banquet  on  the  mountains, 
a,nd  in  the  discussion  that  arose  as  to  what  their  war-cry 
should  be,  some  one  suggested  that  they  leave  it  to  the  echo 
to  decide.  Now  there  was  more  than  one  echo  hiding  in 
the  mountains,  and  when  the  college  shouted  out  the  in- 
quiry, "  Where  are  you  ? "  all  the  echoes  made  haste  to 
repeat  the  sentence,  and  jumbled  the  words  so  that  it 
sounded  like  "  Roo  raw  roo  ? "  Thereupon  the  boys  de- 
cided that  their  cheer  should  be  :  "  Roo,  rah  !  Roo,  rah  ! 


"Tally- Ho"  and  Other  Cries  41? 

Roo,  rah!  Rau !  Roo,  rah!  Roo,  rah!  CUMBER. 
LAND  ! " 

They  once  had  a  mascot  in  the  form  of  a  dog  at 

Rutgers, 

and  the  boys  now  yell  "  Rah,  rah,  rah  !  Bow-wow-wow ! 
RUTGERS ! " 

The  Rochester  University 

cry  is  "  Waxico,  waxico,  waxico,  wax  !  Waxico,  waxico, 
waxico,  wax!  Brek-k-ks— Brek-k-ks,  ah-h-ah !  ROCHES- 
TER!" 

University  of  Washington 

has  this  cry  :  "  U.  of  W. !  Hiah  !  Hiah  !  U.  of  W.!  U.  of 
W.!  Siah!  Siah!  Shooken!  Shookem!  WASHINGTON." 

Hobart's  Cry 

is:  "  Hip-ho-bart !  Hip-ho-bart !  Hip-ho,  hip-ho,  HIP-HO- 
BART!" 

Syracuse  University 

cry  is :  "  Srah— Srah— Srah— Sy-ra-cuse  !  " 

The   University  of  Pennsylvania 

has  a  cheer  of  old  Dutch  origin.  Besides  these  university 
slogans  each  class  has  its  own  call,  which  varies  every  year, 
but  they  are  all  of  the  same  general  style.  One  that  I  re- 
member is  :  "  Johnny,  get  your  gun  !  Johnny,  get  your  gun! 
We're  the  class  of  'Ninety-one !  "  The  Class  of  Ninety-one 
of  the  Quaker  boys  of  Swarthmore  had  a  unique  cry  of 
M.D. !— C.C.C. !— X.C.I. !— S.C !  " 

The  number  of  club,  class,  school,  and  university  yells  is 
unlimited  ;  but  if  any  one  of  the  readers  of  this  book  wants 
27 


4 1 8  Atttumn 


to  invent  a  cheer,  remember  to  choose  first  such  sounds  as 
will  make  the  most  noise;  second,  to  end  up  with  the  name 
of  his  club  or  organization,  the  idea  being  first  to  attract 
attention,  and  second,  to  advertise  your  society,  school,  or 
university,  by  impressing  its  name  on  the  willing  or  unwill- 
ing ears  of  your  hearers.  In  the  same  way  the  old  Scots 
would  yell  the  name  of  their  leader,  prince,  or  clan,  so  that 
their  foe  might  know  who  were  the  valiant  men  they  were 
fighting,  and  might  always  afterward  remember  their 
name  or  the  name  of  their  leader. 


CHAPTER  XXXV 
INDIAN   GAMES  ADAPTED   FOR   BOYS 

Squaw,  Saddle-bags,  or  Sky  Shinny — The  Way  the  Game  is  Played—- 
An Exhilarating  Sport— Mandan  Ring— A  Fine  Game  for  Autumn 
or  Winter. 

IN  place  of  a  bung  or  a  golf-ball  a  pair  of  bags  are  used 
for  the  game  of  Squaw,  Saddle-bags,  or  Sky  Shinny,  as  it 
is  variously  called.  These  are  made  of  soft  leather  or  buck- 
skin, and  are  connected  by  a  strap  twenty-four  inches  long, 
securely  sewed  to  the  bags  at  each  end. 
The  bags  are  seven  by  four  inches,  and  usu- 
ally contain  corn,  beans,  or  some  similar  ma- 
terial. The  bags  should  not  be  heavy  enough 
to  make  dangerous  missiles,  but  should  be 
of  sufficient  weight  to  render  it  possible  to 
throw  them  a  considerable  distance  (Fig.  347). 

No  one  is  allowed  to  touch  the  bags  with 
his  hands  or  feet.     Each  player  is  supplied 
with   a   light,  strong   ash   or   hickory   stick 
curved  at  one  end  like  a  shinny  or  golf-stick. 
(Fig.  346).     It  is  with   these  sticks  that  the 
bags  are  picked  up  from  the  ground,  skilfully  FIG.  346.  FIG.  347. 
caught   OR   the   fly,  and   carried,   while  the    Saddle-bags  and 
player  makes  a  rush  for  goal ;  or  the  sticks 
may  be  used  like  slings  or  throwing-sticks,  with  which  to 
send  the  twin  bags  sailing  over  the  heads  of  the  tribe. 


420  Autumn 


The  Rules 

governing  this  game  are  similar  in  many  respects  to  those 
governing  the  old  game  of  foot-ball  as  played  at  Rugby. 
But  in  this  game  there  is  no  kicking  another  fellow's  shins 
or  legs  below  the  knee,  as  the  Rugby  boys  do.  No  player 
is  allowed  to  kick  either  below  or  above  the  knee,  or  to 
trip  another  player  with  foot  or  stick. 

The  ground  on  which  Saddle-bags  is  played  is  called 
the  "  prairie,"  and  is  the  same  size  as  the  foot-ball  field,  with 
the  same  boundaries.  There  are  two  goals,  one  at  each 
end  of  the  field,  consisting  of  two  uprights  with  cross  poles 
about  ten  feet  from  the  ground. 

There  may  be  any  number  of 

Players, 

divided  as  in  foot-ball,  but  with  different  names. 

The  rushers  are  called  the  tribes,  the  half-backs  braves, 
the  full-backs  bucks,  and  the  captains  chiefs. 

The  game  begins  by  the  two  chiefs  tossing  up  for  choice 
of  goals  or  first  cast.  If  the  winner  chooses  first  cast,  the 
loser  has  choice  of  goals ;  if  the  winner  takes  choice  of 
goals  the  loser  has  first  cast. 

After  these  preliminaries  are  settled  the  two  chiefs 
place  their  men,  sending  the  bucks  back  to  guard  the  goals, 
and  the  braves  to  a  position  between  the  bucks  and  the 
tribe.  The  duties  of  the  braves  are  liable  to  begin  immedi- 
ately upon  the  opening  of 

The  Game, 

particularly  if  the  opposing  side  makes  a  good  cast,  and 
the  saddle-bag  comes  whirling  over  the  tribe  to  where 
the  braves  are  placed.  The  braves  must  be  ready  and  are 


Indian  Games  Adapted  for  Boys       421 

expected  to  catch  the  bags,  and  whoever  does  so  must  run 
for  dear  life,  with  the  bags  swinging  from  the  end  of  his 
stick.  When  he  sees  that  he  can  carry  them  no  farther  he 
must  cast  them  with  might  and  main  for  the  goal,  or,  if 
necessary,  pass  them  from  his  stick  to  that  of  one  of  his 
tribe,  who  receives  them  and  does  his  "level  best  "to  carry 
or  cast  them  to  the  goal,  or  pass  them  to  still  another  of  his 
own  tribe. 

It  is  the  duty  of  the  opposing  braves  to  do  their  utmost 
to  intercept  or  tackle  the  foe,  who  carries  the  bags  on  his 
stick,  or  to  lift  the  bags  from  the  enemy,  and  having  ob- 
tained them  to  run  as  fast  as  possible  in  the  opposite  di- 
rection, and  go  through  all  the  tactics  already  described. 

The  bags  are  free  to  all  when  in  play,  but  you  are  not 
allowed  to  capture  them  by  forcibly  striking  the  enemy's 
stick  or  person  with  your  stick,  though  it  is  considered 
perfectly  fair  to  lift  them  by  thrusting,  poking,  slipping,  or 
inserting  the  end  of  your  stick  under  the  bags  and  lifting 
them  from  their  perch  on  the  enemy's  rod. 

It  is  the  duty  of  the  tribe  to  gain  possession  of  the  sad- 
dle-bags when  a  brave  is  stopped,  and  to  fling  them  with 
all  possible  force  toward  the  goal.  The  duty  of  the  bucks 
is  similar  to  that  of  the  braves,  whenever  the  bags  pass  over 
the  heads  of  the  latter. 

The  Score. 

No  advantage  that  counts  in  the  score  is  gained  by 
either  side  until  the  bags  are  cast  over  the  goal  or  carried 
beyond  the  enemy's  goal-line.  A  run  over  the  goal-line 
counts  one  scalp ;  a  cast  under  the  goal-stick  and  over  the 
goal-line  counts  three  scalps  ;  a  goal,  that  is,  a  cast  over  the 
goal-stick,  counts  ten  scalps.  If  by  accident  the  saddle-bags 
catch  and  hang  on  the  goal-stick,  it  is  called  a  straddle  and 


422  Autumn 


counts  eight  scalps.  When  the  bags  fall  outside  the  boun- 
daries they  are  placed  on  the  "  prairie  "  by  the  umpire  at  the 
point,  as  near  as  he  can  judge,  where  they  crossed  the  line 
for  a  scrimmage  as  in  foot-ball,  only  in  this  case  the  bags 
must  be  sent  overhead. 

The  Umpire. 

It  is  the  duty  of  the  umpire  to  watch  that  no  player 
kicks,  strikes,  or  butts  another,  and  warn  him  for  the  first 
offence  and  rule  him  off  the  field  for  the  second.  All  doubt- 
ful points  are  decided  by  the  umpire  by  the  rules  of  foot- 
ball. The  side  that  first  scores  forty-five  points  is  the 
victor. 

Considerable  skill  is  required  to  play  a  good  game  of 
Saddle-bags,  and  besides  this  there  is  any  amount  of  ex- 
citement and  exercise  with  a  minimum  amount  of  danger. 
Once  a  crowd  of  boys  learn  the  game  well  enough  to  make 
an  occasional  goal  with  a  long  cast  across  field  they  will  be- 
come fascinated  with  the  good  American  game  of  Saddle- 
bags,  which  is  adapted,  with  few  changes  of  any  importance, 
from  an  old  game  of  our  red-skinned  brothers. 

Mandan  Ring 

is  a  beautiful  game  and  originated  in  America.  It  has  no 
ancestor  on  the  other  side  of  the  ocean,  but  was  introduced 
among  the  American  Indians  by  the  Mandans,  who  now 
muster  scarcely  enough  warriors  to  make  a  good  game. 

The  ring  used  by  the  Indian  sportsmen  is  laboriously 
carved  from  stone,  but  a  good  iron  or  metal  ring,  four  inches 
in  diameter,  can  be  obtained  at  most  hardware  shops  or 
made  to  order  by  a  blacksmith,  or  bought  from  a  junkman. 
The  "  tchungkees,"  or  spears,  you  must  manufacture  your- 
selves. 


Indian  Games  Adapted  for  Boys       423 


How  to  Make  the  Tchungkee. 

Hunt  up  a  piece  of  ash  or  hickory  about  the  size  of  a 
hoop-pole.  Cut  off  the  extra  wood  so  that  the  stick  will 
measure  six  feet  in  length.  With  a  good  jack-knife  you  can 
whittle  the  stick  down  to  something  of  the  proportions  of  a 
billiard-cue,  except  that  the  butt  end  should  be  considerably 
smaller,  not  larger,  than  a  medium -sized  walking-stick. 
Taper  the  spear  to  a  blunted  point  at  the  top  and  see  that 
it  is  well  balanced.  With  a  piece  of  broken  glass  scrape  it 
smooth  and  be  careful  to  make  it  straight.  When,  in  your 
judgment,  your  tchungkee  is  finished,  mark  off  four  divis- 
ions, each  a  foot  apart,  and  the  first  a  foot  from  the  top  or 
point  of  the  spear  (Fig.  353). 

Leather  Barbs. 

Next  you  must  procure  enough  good  thick  leather  to 
cut  into  ten  pieces,  each  three  inches  long  by  one  and  one- 
half  inch  wide.  With  a  sharp  knife  make  a  slit  at  one  end 
of  the  leather,  dividing  it  equally  for  one  and  one-half 
inch  (Fig.  348).  With  the  same  sharp  knife  taper  off  the 
other  end  of  the  leather  as  shown  by  Fig.  349.  Make  twelve 
of  these  leather  barbs,  and  then  with  an  awl  or  some  similar 
instrument  bore  holes  as  shown  in  Fig.  349. 

These  barbs  are  to  fit  on  the  foot-marks  on  the  lance, 
and  must  be  fastened  on  in  the  following  manner:  Bend  the 
legs  of  the  barb  in  opposite  directions  (Fig.  350);  with  a 
small  brass  or  copper  brad  tack  one  barb  at  each  mark  on 
the  spear ;  divide  each  foot  marked  on  the  rod  into  three 
divisions  of  four  inches  each,  and  one-third  the  distance 
around  the  spear,  that  is,  one-third  of  the  circumference 
measured  from  the  leather  barbs  already  nailed  on ;  fasten 


424 


another  row  of  barbs,  one  at  each  four-inch  mark  (Figs.  352 
and  354). 

Two-thirds  of  the  distance  around  the  tchungkee  fasten 
on  the  remaining  leather  barbs  at  the  eight-inch  marks.  To 
give  a  good  finish  the  legs  of  each  barb  should  be  tightly 
and  evenly  wound  with  shoemaker's  waxed  thread  (Fig. 
352).  Start  off  with  a  clove  hitch.  Bend  your  line  in 
a  loop  as  in  Fig.  355.  Make  another  loop  as  shown  in 


FIG.  348. 


FIG.  349. 


FIG.  330. 


IV  A  PIECE  OF  LEATHFR. 


•5  ••  VIEW 

THE 

/V\ENT  OF 
THE   THREE  TIPS 

FIG.  351. 


FIG.  352. 


l~  A  tV  C  EL       V^ITH     Divisions 


FIG.  353. 
Construction  of  the  Tchungkee. 


FIG.  354 


Indian  Games  Adapted  for  Boys       425 


the  next  diagram.  Fig.  356 
shows  the  double  loop.  Place 
the  first  loop  over  the  second 
as  shown  in  Fig.  357.  Thrust 
the  rod  through  the  double 
loop  (Fig.  358).  Draw  the 
lines  tight  as  in  Fig.  359. 
Bring  the  end  A  to  one  side 
and  lay  the  end  B  along  the 
rod  (Fig.  360).  Take  the  end 
A  and  wrap  the  line  neatly 
around  the  stick  and  over  the 
line  B  for  the  required  dis- 
tance, leaving  a  small  margin 
for  a  few  additional  wraps 
(Fig.  361).  Now  take  B  and 
make  a  long  loop,  bringing 
the  end  B  up  as  shown  in  Fig. 

362.  Make  a   few  additional 
wraps  and  thrust  A  through 
the  protruding  loop  as  in  Fig. 

363.  Pull  B  tight  so  that  A  is 
brought  up  under   the    bind- 
ing.    Then  cut  both  ends  off 
close  to  the  stick  (Fig.  364). 
You  will  find  that  this  will  not 
unwind  or  leave  any  exposed 
ends.     Finally  give  a  coat  of 
varnish  or  paint. 

If  you  have  followed  the 
directions  carefully  your 
tchungkee  when  placed  upon 
the  ground  will  always  pre- 


FIG.  355.        FIG.  356. 


FIG.  357. 


FIG.  358. 


FIG.  359. 


FIG.  360. 


FIG.  361. 


FIG.  362. 


FIG.  363. 


FIG.  364. 


How  to  Bind  the  Lance,  a  Fish-rod,  a 
Bow,  or  for  Mending  any  sort  of  Rod 
or  Stick. 


426  Autumn 


sent  a  row  of  upright  leather  barbs,  while  it  rests  on  two 
other  rows.     Fig.  351,  an  end  view,  explains  this. 

How  to  Play  Mandan  Ring. 

If  there  are  more  than  two  boys,  choose  up  for  sides,  and 
toss  up  for  first  inning.  This  decided,  the  chief  of  the  Ins 
takes  the  ring  and  his  tchungkee,  and  the  chief  of  the  Outs 
follows  him  with  his  tchungkee,  ready  for  use.  Shoulder 
to  shoulder  they  start  on  a  run,  and  when  under  good  head- 
way the  Ins'  chief  throws  the  ring  so  that  it  will  roll  like 
a  hoop.  Both  chiefs  follow  and  throw  their  lances  be- 
fore them  as  they  run,  in  such  a  manner  that  the  tchungkees 
slide  along  the  ground  or  pavement  one  on  each  side  of  the 
ring.  This  they  do — picking  up  their  lances  and  throwing 
them  again  as  long  as  the  ring  keeps  rolling. 

How  the  Score  is  Made. 

No  count  can  be  made  in  the  game  if  your  lance  is  on 
the  other  boy's  side.  The  object  of  the  player  is  to  have 
his  lance  alongside  the  ring  when  it  stops,  and  it  the  ring 
falls  over  one  of  the  leather  barbs,  that  counts  a  number  of 
points  in  the  game,  regulated  by  the  location  of  the  barb. 
The  first  leather  counts  one,  the  second  two,  etc.  The 
loser  of  the  first  run  is  out,  and  the  winner  rolls  the  iron 
ring  with  the  next  boy  from  the  opposite  side.  This  con- 
tinues until  the  game  is  won  by  one  side  or  the  other. 
The  game  may  be  any  number  of  points  you  may  agree 
upon. 

This  should  become  a  popular  American  boys'  game,  as 
it  possesses  all  the  qualities  necessary  to  make  a  popular 
sport,  and  can  be  played  upon  any  hard,  smooth  surface. 


Indian  Games  Adapted  for  Boys       427 

The  composition  street-paving  that  is  now  becoming  com- 
mon in  the  cities  makes  the  best  of  play-grounds  for  Man- 
dan  Ring.  Where  the  ground  will  admit  the  players  may 
wear  roller-skates,  and  in  winter  it  makes  a  fine  game 
on  the  ice,  in  which  case  all  the  players  of  course  wear 
skates. 


CHAPTER  XXXVI 
ON    THE    FOOT-BALL    FIELD 

The  Antiquity  of  the  Game— The  General  Principles  of  the  Game  as 
It  Is  Played  by  the  College  Teams  at  Present. 

POSSIBLY  the  foot-ball  players  are  unaware  of  the  im- 
portant fact  that  they  have  a  patron  saint.  At  Lincoln,  in 
England,  in  1520,  a  boy  named  Hugh  was  a  champion  foot- 
ball player,  and  he  met  his  death  from  kicking  the  ball 
through  the  open  window  of  a  Jew's  house.  The  old  verse 
says  that 

"  Four  and  twenty  bonny  boys 

Were  playing  at  the  ba', 

And  by  it  came  him  sweet  Sir  Hugh 

And  he  played  o'er  them  a'. 

"  He  kicked  the  ba'  with  his  right  foot 
And  catched  it  wi'  his  knee  ; 
And  throck-and-thro'  the  Jew's  window 
He  gar'd  the  bonny  ba'  flee." 

It  seems  that  the  Jew  did  not  take  the  same  interest  in 
the  game  that  we  now  do,  and  so  he  or  his  daughter  enticed 
"  sweet  Sir  Hugh  "  into  the  house  and  cut  him  up  with  a 
big  knife  after  the  fashion  of  the  day.  After  the  crime  was 
discovered  sweet  Sir  Hugh  had  a  great  funeral,  and  he  was 
made  a  saint.  According  to  the  legend,  "  miracles  were 
performed  at  his  tomb." 


On  the  Foot-Ball  Field 


429 


But    foot-ball 
was 

An  Old  Game 

before  Sir  Hugh 
was  born.  As  far 
back  as  1349  we  find 
a  public  edict  pro- 
hibiting the  game. 
It  is  not  to  be  sup- 
posed that  the  an- 
cient game  bore  any 
striking  resem- 
blance to  the  mod- 
ern American  foot- 
ball, and  there  is  lit- 
tle doubt  that  an- 
other ancient  game 
of  ball  called  "  hurl- 
ing," in  which  two 
towns  battled  for  a 
ball  of  wood  or  prec- 
ious metal,  has  been 
mixed  with  plain 
foot-ball ;  and  from 
the  mixture  of  kick- 
ing the  ball  and  rush- 
ing with  it  in  the 
arms  was  evolved 
the  Rugby  and  then 
the  American  game 
of  foot-ball. 


FIGS.  365  and  366. 
—A  Place  Kick 
at  Princeton. 


FIG.  367.— A  Snap 
Back. 


FIG.  368. —A  Pass. 


FIGS.  369,  370,  and 
371.  —  A  Place 
Kick  at  Yale. 


FIGS.  372, 373,  and 
374.  —  Some 
Good  Tackles  at 
Yale. 


SKETCHED  ON  THE  FIELD. 


430 


Auttimn 


The  Only  Way 

in  which  to  learn  the  modern  American  game  is  by  careful 
study,  not  of  books  alone,  but  of  the  players  in  match  and 
practice  games.  A  paper-covered  copy  of  Spalding's  of- 
ficial foot-ball  guide,  containing  the  latest  revised  rules,  can 
be  obtained  at  an  expenditure  of  about  ten  cents,  and  with 
this  in  your  pocket  to  refer  to,  you  will  soon  learn  to  see 
science  where  the  untrained  eye  sees  only  an  apparently 
heedless  rough-and-tumble  scrimmage. 

When  you  yourself  play,  keep  the  rules  handy  for  refer- 
ence, and  when  in  doubt  as  to  the  real  meaning  of  a  rule, 
never  hesitate  to  address  a  note  to  some  famous  player  ask- 
ing an  explanation.  You  may  almost  invariably  count 
upon  his  interest  in  the  game  being  great  enough  to  insure 
you  a  speedy  and  satisfactory  reply. 

The  Game. 

By  looking  at  the  plan  of  the  field  you  will  see  that  it 
resembles  a  gridiron.  In  reality  the  foot-ball  field  is  a  sort 
of  giant  chess  or  checker  board  with  long  strips  in  place  of 
squares  and  with  but  one  chessman  or  checker,  and  that  is 
the  oval,  leather-covered  ball.  The  moves  are  made  by 
main  force  and  strategy  and  consist  of  a  number  of  "  downs," 
runs,  or  kicks  as  the  judgment  of  the  player  may  dictate. 

The  Points  in  the  Game 
are  counted  as  follows : 

Goal  by  touch-down *      *      *      *      *      *  2 

Touch-down  without  goal  .******  4 

Goal  from  field  kick *      *      *      *      *      *  5 

Safety  by  opponents ******  2 


On  the  Foot- Ball  Field  431 

The   Ball 

is  egg-shaped  and  called  the  "  intercollegiate  match  ball." 
Many  boys  in  the  rural  districts  have  the  leather  cover  for 
their  ball  made  at  the  shoemaker's  or  har- 
ness shop.     Inside  the  leather  cover  they 
put  a  bladder  which  is  inflated  by  the  use 
of  a  quill  and  a  healthy  pair  of  lungs.     The 
nozzle  is  then  tied  fast  with  a  bit  of  string 
and   pushed  out  of  sight  and  harm's  way 
and  the  leather  cover  is  laced  up. 

Most  of  my  readers  will  find  it  cheaper  FlG  37S._The  Bail 
to  purchase  the  regulation  ball,  which  is  | nft^e  Invisible 
similar  to  the  rustic  one.  It  is  egg-shaped, 
of  course,  but  in  place  of  a  bladder  it  has  an  India-rubber 
oval  inside,  which  may  be  inflated  by  a  little  pump  similar 
to  those  used  for  inflating  bicycle  tires. 

The  Field. 

Upon  a  level  stretch  of  ground  mark  out  a  rectangular 
figure  one  hundred  and  sixty  feet  wide  by  three  hundred 
and  thirty  feet  long,  and,  for  convenience  in  determining 
how  far  the  ball  is  advanced  at  each  down,  divide  the  field 
up  with  cross  lines  every  fifteen  feet  or  five  yards.  You 
can  make  the  lines  and  boundaries  with  ordinary  white- 
wash and  brush. 

Measure  eighty  feet  from  one  corner  along  the  end  line 
of  the  field  and  mark  the  point.  Do  the  same  on  the  oppo- 
site end,  and  as  the  end  lines  are  each  one  hundred  and  sixty 
feet  long  the  two  points  will  mark  the  centres  of  the  lines. 
Measure  nine  feet  three  inches  to  the  right  and  to  the  left 
of  the  centre  points  on  the  end  lines  and  plant  your  four 
goal-posts,  two  at  each  end  of  the  field.  This  will  leave 


432 


Autumn 


FIG.  376.— The  Field. 


the  regulation  space  of 
eighteen  feet  six  inches  be- 
tween the  posts.  The  cross 
bar  should  now  be  placed 
on  these  poles  ten  feet  from 
the  ground.  The  uprights 
should  extend  over  ten  feet 
above  the  cross  bar. 

The  Teams 

in  regulation  games  con- 
sist of  eleven  men  each,  but 
for  practice  or  impromptu 
games  among  boys,  as  few 
as  four  on  a  side  will  make 
a  game  full  of  fun  and  ex- 
ercise. 

The  eleven  men  in  the 
regulation  game  are  divid- 
ed into  rushers  and  backs. 
A  quarter-back,  two  half- 
backs, and  a  full-back.  The 
first  seven  or  line  men  who 
are  known  as  centre,  right- 
guard,  right -tackle,  right- 


end,  left-guard,  left-tackle,  and  left-end.  The  captains  of  the 
respective  teams  number  the  plays  and  keep  the  numbers 
secret.  But  they  ofttimes  first  call  false  numbers  to  con- 
fuse their  opponents  and  not  "give  away"  the  proposed 
play. 


On  the  Foot-Ball  Field  433 


The  Kicks 

all  have  special  names,  such  as  a 

Drop-kicky  when  the  ball  is  dropped  from  the  hand  and 
kicked  the  instant  it  touches  the  ground  ;  the 

Place-kick^  made  by  kicking  the  ball  after  it  has  been 
placed  on  the  ground  ;  the 

Punt,  made  by  kicking  the  ball  as  it  falls  from  the  hands 
and  before  it  reaches  the  ground  ;  the 

Kick-off,  is  a  place-kick  made  from  the  centre  of  the  field. 
The  kick-off  cannot  score  a  goal.  The 

Kick-out,  when  one  of  the  players  on  the  side  which  has 
touched  the  ball  down  in  its  own  goal  makes  a  punt,  drop- 
kick,  or  place-kick.  A 

Free-kick,  any  kick  where  the  rules  forbid  the  opponents 
from  advancing  beyond  a  certain  point. 

In-Touch. 

In-touch  is  out  of  bounds. 

A  Touch-doivn  is  when  the  ball  is  kicked  or  carried 
across  the  goal  line  and  held  there. 

A  Touch-back  is  when  the  player  touches  the  ball  to  the 
ground  behind  his  own  goal,  the  ball  having  been  propelled 
over  the  line  by  an  opponent. 

A  Safety  Touch-down,  is  when  either  by  a  kick,  pass,  or  a 
snap-back,  the  player  guarding  his  goal  receives  the  ball 
from  one  of  his  own  side  and  touches  it  down  behind  his 
goal  line,  or  when  he  carries  the  ball  across  his  own  goal 
line  and  touches  it  down,  or  when  he  puts  the  ball  in  his 
own  touch-in-goal,  or  if  the  ball,  being  kicked  by  one  of  his 
own  side,  bounds  back  from  an  enemy  across  the  goal  line 
and  the  player  guarding  the  goal  then  touches  it  down. 


434  Autumn 


A  Fair  Catch. 

When  a  player  kicks  a  ball  and  it  is  caught  on  the  fly 
by  an  opponent,  the  catcher  of  the  ball  may  plant  his  heel 
in  the  ground,  marking  the  spot  where  the  catch  was  made. 
If  none  of  the  catcher's  side  touched  the  ball  it  is  called  a 
fair  catch.  It  is  customary  for  the  man  making  the  catch 
to  announce  the  fact  by  shouting  "  Fair  Catch ! "  or  by 
holding  up  one  hand  or  by  both. 

The  Heel-mark 

is  the  limit  beyond  which  the  opponents  of  the  player 
making  a  fair  catch  cannot  advance  until  the  ball  is  again 
put  in  play.  The  catch  entitles  the  player  to  the  privilege 
of  retiring  as  far  back  of  the  heel-mark  toward  his  own 
goal  as  he  may  see  fit,  and  of  taking  there  a  place-kick, 
punt,  or  drop-kick,  or  he  may  give  the  ball  to  some  one  on 
his  own  team  for  a  scrimmage,  which  is  governed  by  the 
rules  of  a  scrimmage.  In  case  he  takes  a  free  kick  he  must 
send  the  ball  at  least  ten  yards,  unless  some  opponent  stops 
the  ball. 

Off  Side. 

A  player  is  off  side  when  he  is  between  the  ball  and  his 
opponent's  goal.  If,  however,  the  ball  first  touches  an  op- 
ponent, an  off-side  player  is  thus  put  on  side. 

A  player  is 

On  Side 

when  he  is  not  between  the  ball  and  his  opponent's  goal, 
except,  as  noted  above,  in  case  the  ball  touches  an  op- 
ponent 


On  the  Foot-Ball  Field  435 

When  a  ball  goes 

Out  of  Bounds 

by  crossing  the  boundary  line  of  the  gridiron,  it  is  said  to 
go  "  into  touch,"  and  one  of  the  players  must  immediately 
bring  it  back  to  the  point  where  it  crossed  the  line.  It  is 
then  put  in  play  by  a  member  of  the  side  which  carried  it 
out  of  bounds,  or  which  was  first  to  capture  the  ball  after 
it  crossed  the  touch  line.  He  mfcy  touch-in  in  bounds  at 
right  angles  to  the  side  line  and  then  kick  it,  or  run  with 
it,  or  he  will  probably  call  out  the  number  of  paces  he  in- 
tends  to  walk  in,  so  as  to  give  his  opponents  a  fair  show, 
and  then  he  must  take  the  agreed  number  of  steps;  but  the 
distance  cannot  be  less  than  five  yards  or  more  than  fifteen 
yards. 

If  the  player  carries  the  ball  across  one  of  the  end  lines, 
he  obtains  a  touch-down  at  the  spot  where  the  ball  after  be- 
ing carried  over  is  held.  Any  player  on  his  team  may  now 
bring  the  ball  out,  making  a  mark  by  a  twist  of  his  heel  on 
the  line  as  he  walks.  When  a  point  is  reached  which  he 
considers  best  suited  to  his  purpose,  he  places  the  ball  for 
one  of  his  own  team  to  kick  while  the  opponents  retire  be- 
hind  their  goal  line. 

When  the  progress  of  the  game  has  advanced  the  ball 
to  a  point  within  kicking  distance  of  the  goal,  it  is  an  open 
question  whether  it  is  best  to  take  a  drop-kick  at  goal  or 
make  an  effort  to  carry  the  ball  across  goal.  If  the  latter 
play  is  successful  it  is  a  touch-down  and  entitles  you  to  a 
try-at-goal ;  but  when  no  score  is  made  by  a  drop-kick  on  a 
first  down  inside  the  twenty-five-yard  line  the  ball  can  be 
brought  out  for  only  a  ten-yard  kick-out,  which  means  that 
your  side  can  line  up  at  ten  yards. 

This  compels  the  players  guarding  the  goal  to  kick-out 


436 


Atttumn 


practically  within  their  own  goal  line.  From  this  it  may 
be  seen  that  the  running  attempts  or  drop-kick  must  be 
wisely  chosen  at  this  point  of  the  game  in  accordance  with 
the  relative  risk  and  gain,  but  all  these  problems  should  be 
studied  on  the  field. 

At  any  time  a  player  may  kick,  pass,  or  carry  the  ball 
across  his  own  goal  line  and  touch  it  down  there  for 
safety.  This  scores  two  points  for  the  other  team,  but  his 
side  may  take  the  ball  out  to  the  twenty-five-yard  line  and 
there  have  a  kick-out.  He  may  punt  the  ball  or  take  a 
drop-kick  or  a  place-kick. 

Much  has  been  said  and  written  on  the  different  plays 
in  the  modern  game  of  foot-ball,  and  pages  have  been  de- 
voted to  the  proper  manner  of  making  one  move  in  the 
game.  When  I  lately  visited  Princeton  and  Yale  to  study 
the  game  I  found  the  men  devoting 
their  odd  moments  to  experiments  and 
practice  on 

Place-kicking. 

We  have  already  seen  that  a  place- 
kick  is  made  after  the  ball  is  placed  on 
the  ground.  In  the  accompanying 
sketches  Figs.  365,  366,  367,  and  377,  it 
will  be  noticed  that  the  player  on  the 
kicker's  side  is  holding  the  ball  with 
the  lower  end  just  off  the  ground  (Figs. 
365  and  377).  As  long  as  it  continues 
in  this  position  it  is  not  "  in  play." 
The  moment  the  ball  touches  the 
ground  it  is  "  in  play,"  and  the  enemy  lined  up  on  their 
goal  line  will  charge  and  block  the  kick,  if  possible. 


FIG.   377-— A    Place -kick. 


On  the  Foot-Ball  Field  437 


The  Formation 

is  to  a  great  extent  governed  by  the  plays  to  be  made,  but 
as  a  general  rule  the  seven  rushers  stand  in  line  of  battle 
facing  their  opponents.  Just  behind  the  rushers  stands 
the  quarter-back,  and  a  few  yards  in  the  rear  of  him  the 
two  half-backs  are  placed;  while  a  dozen  yards  farther 
back,  alone  in  his  glory,  the  full-back  guards  his  precious 

goal.* 

The  Toss-up. 

If  a  strong  wind  is  blowing  the  winner  of  the  toss-up 
takes  the  side  favored  by  the  wind,  and  the  other  team 
have  the  kick-off.  If  there  is  no  wind  to  speak  of,  and  no 
great  advantage  in  either  goal,  the  winner  of  the  toss-up 
chooses  the  kick-off,  and  the  other  side  have  the  choice  of 
goals. 

Lining  Up. 

The  two  teams  now  line  up  in  their  respective  positions, 
and  the  ball  is  placed  upon  the  exact  centre  of  the  field  by 
the  side  having  the  kick-off. 

As  a  rule  the  full-back  is  a  good  kicker  and  is  selected 
to  open  the  game. 

To  the  right  of  the  ball  on  the  line  stands  right-guard, 
alongside  of  him  is  right-tackle,  next  to  him  is  right-end, 
then  comes  right  half-back  and  quarter- back,  while 
stretched  out  on  the  line  to  the  left  of  the  ball  are  the  cen- 
tre, left-guard,  left-tackle,  left-end  and  left  half-back.  All 
these  sturdy  men  are  ready  to  rush  upon  their  opponents 
the  moment  full-back's  toe  touches  the  ball. 

As  the  rules  require  the  opposite  side  to  stand  at  least 

*  Lately  there  is  a  tendency   to  make  full-back   do  more   work,   and  he  is  often 
seen  playing  in  much  closer  proximity  to  the  others. 


438  Autumn 


ten  yards  back  of  the  middle  line,  they  form  themselves  in 
a  sort  of  rough  triangle  so  as  to  be  able  to  guard  the  whole 


•    •    • 


w 

FIG.  378.— The  Rounds  are  about  to  open  the  game  by  a  kick-off.    The  Squares  are 
ready  to  receive  the  ball  and  the  rushers. 

field  and  stop  the  ball  with  the  least  possible  waste  of  time. 
At  the  required  ten  yards  back  of  the  centre  line,  centre  of 
the  opposing  side  is  posted,  back  of  centre  stand  the  two 
guards,  back  of  them  the  two  tackles  with  the  quarter-back 


On  the  Foot-Ball  Field  439 

between  them,  behind  them  the  two  half-backs  are  stationed 
with  full-back  "  plugging  the  centre  "  in  front  of  his  goal. 
There  are  no  rules  for  placing  the  men  on  the  field,  and  the 
formation  here  given  may  be,  and  is,  altered  to  suit  the 
ideas  of  the  different  captains  of  the  various  teams. 

The  player  selected  to  kick  the  ball  must  send  it  at 
least  ten  yards  into  the  opponent's  camp,  and  it  is  usually 
sent  as  much  farther  as  the  judgment  of  the  kicker  directs. 
It  is  not  expected  that  half-grown  boys  will  play  the  game 
as  scientifically  as  the  college  experts.  When  a  boy 
makes  a  kick-off  his  judgment  usually  tells  him  to  kick  the 
ball  as  far  as  possible.  When  the  ball  comes  sailing  over 
into  their  ranks  the  enemy  catch  it  and  either  return  it  by 
a  kick  or  one  of  them  runs  with  the  ball. 

The  Scrimmage. 

Now  when  the  player  made  the  kick-off  he  calculated 
that  the  rushers  on  his  side  could  reach  the  ball  in  time  to 
prevent  the  enemy  making  much  headway  with  it,  and  the 
enemy  calculated  to  interfere  in  all  lawful  ways  with  the 
kick-off's  rushers.  If  the  enemy  who  holds  the  ball  starts 
for  a  run,  the  men  on  the  other  side  tackle  him  and  down 
he  comes.  Just  as  soon  as  the  player  and  ball  are  brought 
to  a  standstill  the  runner  cries  "  down."  Then  someone 
on  the  runner's  side,  usually  the  fellow  called  snap-back  or 
centre-rush,  places  the  ball  on  the  ground  at  the  spot  where 
it  came  to  a  standstill,  and  the  ball  is  put  in  play  by  the 
snap-back  kicking  it  or  snapping  it  back,  generally  with  his 
hand  but  sometimes  with  his  foot,  to  the  quarter-back  of  his 
own  side,  who  has  taken  a  position  just  behind  snap-back. 
Up  to  this  moment  the  men  of  each  team  have  kept  their 
positions  upon  their  own  side  of  the  ball,  but  as  soon  as  the 
ball  is  put  in  motion  both  sides  may  press  forward  and  the 


440  Autumn 


scrimmage  commences.  Quarter-back,  when  he  receives 
the  ball  quickly  passes  it  back  to  half-back  or  full-back  who 
runs  with  or  kicks  it. 

When 

A  Snap-back 

is  to  be  made  the  boys  arrange  themselves  in  the  following 
manner.     Centre  has  the  ball  (squares  in  Fig.  379),  back  of 
p  him    stands    quarter  -  back 

D     O  ready  to  receive  it,  and  still 

Q  p  farther  in  the  rear  is  full- 

back with  left  half-back  and 
p  right  half-back  little  in  ad- 

vance,  and    flanking   them 

D  Q  Q  Q  Q  °n  either  side  a  short  dis- 

0     •••••••       •     tance    farther    in    advance 

are  the  two  ends.  Each  one 
of  the  five  is  ready  to  re- 
ceive the  ball  from  quarter- 
back according  to  the  sig- 
nal. Centre  is  flanked  upon 
each  side  by  the  two  guards 
•  and  two  tackles,  and  the 

FIG.  379.— Lined  up  for  Snap-back.    The       five    farp    fV,^ir    nr^rm^ntc 
Squares  have  the  ball.  tDCir    Opponents, 

who  are  lined  up  with  their 

centre  in  the  middle,  and  the  two  guards,  two  tackles,  two 
ends,  and  two  half-backs  standing  on  their  relative  sides  of 
centre  forming  the  line,  while  a  short  distance  behind  cen- 
tre stands  quarter-back,  and  still  farther  in  the  rear  full- 
back. (Black  dots  in  Fig.  379.) 

After  looking  over  Fig.  379  a  college  friend  recommends 
the  following  changes  in  the  formation:  Bring  the  five 
squares  up  much  closer  to  the  front  line  and  place  them 
farther  apart.  Place  the  quarter-back  of  the  black  dots 


On  the  Foot- Ball  Field  441 

close  behind  the  centre  of  his  own  side.  Move  the  full- 
back of  the  black  dots  to  a  position  just  behind  the  quarter- 
back, and  place  the  two  half-backs  of  the  same  side  just 
behind  the  ends.  All  this  is  a  matter  of  choice  to  be  gov- 
erned by  experience,  and  each  side  is  formed  according  to 
its  captain's  ideas  on  the  subject. 

As  soon  as  the  ball  is  put  in  play  there  is  a  general 
rush;  those  on  the  side  of  the  ball  surround  the  runner  and 
try  to  force  their  way  through  the  ranks  of  their  oppo- 
nents. When  snap-back  has  sent  the  ball  behind  him,  he 
has  placed  the  men  in  his  own  line  between  the  ball  and  the 
enemy's  goal  off-side.  The  men  on -side  have  the  best 
claim  to  right  of  way,  and  the  rules  of  the  game  only  allow 
the  off-siders  in  this  case  to  use  their  bodies  to  obstruct 
their  opponents,  while  the  on-siders  may  use  their  hands 
and  arms  to  open  a  passage  for  themselves,  but  they  are 
not  allowed  to  catch  hold  of  their  opponents. 

It  can  readily  be  seen  that  one  side  might  keep  the  ball 
for  a  long  time  with  no  material  benefit  to  themselves,  but 
the  possibility  of  this  "dog-in-the-manger"  act  is  prevented 
by  a  rule  which  says  that  a  side  not  making  five  yards 
toward  the  opponent's  goal  or  retreating  twenty  yards 
toward  their  own  goal,  in  three  downs  or  efforts  to  ad- 
vance the  ball  must  give  the  ball  to  the  other  side. 

Such  a  surrender  seldom  occurs,  because  if  after  two 
attempts  to  advance  the  ball  there  appears  to  be  no  chance 
of  making  his  distance  the  player  may  kick  the  ball  in  so 
savage  a  manner  that  it  will  go  sailing  away  down  field. 


CHAPTER  XXXVII 


GOLF,   HOCKEY,  AND  SHINNY 

How  to  Lay  Out  Golf  Links  and  Play  the  Game— Explanation  of  the 
Terms  Used  in  the  Game— How  Hockey  and  Shinny  Are  Played. 

THE  King  and  Parliament  decided  in  1457  that  the 
Scotchmen  and  boys  were  neglecting  archery  to  play  golf, 
and  so  decrees  were  issued  against  the 
game,  and  that  settled  the  matter.  But  not 
in  the  way  the  wise  rulers  intended,  for  the 
Highland  game  of  cluich-dhesog  increased 
in  popularity  until  it  became  the  national 
game  of  Scotland.  In  the  reign  of  Edward 
III.  they  called  it  "  cambuse  ;  "  but  we  know 
it  as  plain  golf,  the  most  fashionable  game 
in  the  United  States,  as  it  was  on  the  other 
side  of  the  Atlantic  at  the  beginning  of  the 
seventeenth  century,  when  Prince  Henry, 
James  I.'s  son,  played  golf.  Golf  is  a  game 
that  any  boy  can  learn  to  play,  and  one  in 
which  he  can  soon  excel  his  father,  big 
brothers,  or  uncles,  for  the  reason  that  how- 
ever skilled  the  older  people  may  be  they 
have  all  taken  the  game  up  since  it  became 
popular  and  had  no  kindergarten  training. 
A  boy's  limbs  are  supple,  and,  best  of  all,  he  has  no  fear  of 
being  awkward  or  undignified  ;  consequently  he  goes  at 


FIG.  380.— Case  for 
Golf  Clubs. 


Golf,  Hockey,  and  Shinny 


443 


FIGS.  381,  382,  383,  384,  385,  386  and  387.— A  B  and  E,  are  different  points  of  views 
of  a  man  in  full  swing ;  C  is  a  front  view  after  the  stroke  is  made.  From  in- 
stantaneous photographs. 

such  a  thing  as  golf  heart  and  soul,  and  soon  swings  his 
stick  with  a  grace  and  accuracy  that  make  him  the  envy  of 
the  older  players.  Golf  is 

A  Simple  Game. 

Starting  from  the  tee  the  object  of  the  player  is  to  land 
a  small  ball  in  a  hole  a  hundred  or  more  yards  distant,  and 
to  do  it  with  as  few  strokes  of  the  golf  clubs  as  possible. 
The  player  who  reaches  the  hole  with  the  fewest  number 


444  Autumn 


of  strokes  is  said  to  win  that  hole,  and  the  player  who  wins 
the  most  holes  wins  the  game.  Nothing  could  be  more 
easily  understood 

The  Links. 

Many  of  the  best  links  in  Scotland  are  laid  out  where  the 
soil  is  sandy  and  the  grass  sparse  and  stiff.  Such  links,  as 
the  course  is  called,  dry  quickly  after  a  rain,  and  the  ball 
is  easily  played  and  seen  in  the  scanty  tufts  of  wiry  grass. 
The  course  in  this  country  for  the  regulation  game  is  rarely 
over  three  miles  long,  and  shorter  courses  can  be  laid  out 
for  informal  work  and  practice.  The  reader  must  not  un- 
derstand that  the  links  are  to  extend  in  a  straight  line.  On 
the  contrary,  it  is  much  better  to  have  them  wind  about  and 
end  somewhere  near  the  start.  By  carefully  planning  the 
curves  a  golf  course  may  be  made  to  occupy  comparatively 
limited  grounds. 

Somehow  in  the  evolution  of  the  game  it  has  become  a 
rule  to  make  eighteen  holes  constitute  a  full  course.  In 
America,  however,  comparatively  few  courses  possess  over 
nine  holes,  and  good  practice  and  entertainment  can  be  had 
upon  a  course  with  even  a  fewer  number. 

The  starting-point  is  called 

The  Teeing-ground, 

and  is  marked  by  two  whitewash  lines  at  right  angles  to 
the  course,  forming  a  parallelogram  with  the  side  lines  of 
the  course  five  or  six  yards  in  length  by  two  or  three  in 
breadth.  Within  the  parallelogram  the  player  places  his 
ball  upon  a 

Tee 

or  small  hill  of  sand  or  earth  from  a  half  to  three-quarters 
of  an  inch  high. 


Golf,  Hockey,  and  Shinny  445 


The  Holes 

are  about  four  inches  in  diameter  (Figs.  388  and  389),  and 
are  lined  with  iron,  and  the  ground  for  seven  or  eight  feet 
on  all  sides  is  more  level  than  the 
rest  of  the  course  and  is  known 
as  the  "putting  green."  A 
tomato-can,  sunk  in  the  earth,  of 
course,  so  that  the  top  is  even  FlGS  388  and  389._Cans  for  Golf 
with  the  turf,  makes  a  good  hole  Holes, 

for  boys'  links.  They  are  placed  at  distances  varying  from 
three  hundred  to  twelve  hundred  feet  apart,  and  are  marked 
by  little  red  flags  which  are  removed  when  the  player  ap- 
proaches. 

Now  since  a  match  game,  as  a  rule,  consists  of  thirty-six 
holes,  eighteen  holes  gone  twice  over  give  the  required 
number  ;  so  will  nine  holes  gone  over  four  times,  or  six 
holes  six  times,  or  four  holes  nine  times,  or  three  holes 
twelve  times.  So  you  see  that  if  your  ground  is  limited 
you  need  have  but  three,  four,  six,  or  nine  holes,  and  the 
fewer  the  holes  the  fairer  becomes  the  game  for  strangers, 
because  in  going  over  them  so  often  they  learn  the  ground 
and  that  puts  them  on  an  even  footing  with  the  home 
players. 

The  Golf  Clubs 

are  something  l>ke  our  old-fashioned  shinny  sticks  in  shape 
but  modified  and  better  made,  as  the  ball  must  be  driven 
more  accurately  and  much  farther,  and  often  from  difficult 
"lies"  or  positions.  They 'are  known  as  wooden  and  iron 
clubs  according  to  whether  the  heads  are  made  of  wood  or 
iron.  There  are  a  great  variety  of  them,  but  the  beginner 
does  not  need  more  than  four  or  five.  The  driver,  a  large 


446 


Autumn 


club  with  a  long  shaft  and  wooden  head,  is  used  when  the 
ball  is  on  the  tee,  and  the  boy  will  find  that  with  a  little 
practice  he  can  with  this  club  send  the  ball  a  hundred 
yards,  while  an  experienced  player  will  cover  nearly  twice 
this  distance.  The  brassie  resembles  the  driver,  but,  as  its 


jfi  m  *|i  si  *i  s§  Hi  M  m 

O  >  0.        O  CO  r/)        C5  ro  5T        U  £        r1?  r  1  r"?  •-«        ni  Q  "-H        rM  £ 


2Q     2' 

b         £ 


i~     d 
£       £ 


Is- 


name  implies,  its  head  is  protected  with  a  brass  plate,  and 
it  can  be  used  when  the  ball  lies  favorably  on  sod  or  in  the 
open  ground.  The  deck  and  lofter  both  have  iron  heads, 
the  former  being  best  suited  to  drive  the  ball  low  and  far, 
and  the  latter  to  "  loft "  or  lift  the  ball  over  obstructions. 


Golf,  Hockey,  and  Shinny  447 

In  addition  to  these  the  clubs  most  often  seen  are  the  putter, 
for  "  putting "  the  ball  into  the  hole,  though  many  expe- 
rienced players  prefer  the  cleek,  mas/ties  of  various  sorts 
resembling  the  lofter,  but  with  a  shorter  iron,  the  niblic,  etc. 

The  Ball 

used  in  regulation  games  is  made  of  gutta-percha  and  is 
about  one  and  three-quarter  inches  in  diameter.  Any  hard 


FIG.  400. — Golf  Ball  (natural  size). 

ball  will  answer  for  a  boy,  and  with  a  course  of  three  or 
four  holes  he  can  play  with  his  driver  until  his  skill  entitles 
him  to  a  more  complicated  kit. 

Hazards 

are  all  objects  which  interfere  with  the  play  of  the  ball. 

A  Bunker 

is  a  hazard  in  the  form  of  a  sand-pit,  a  stone  wall,  or  ridge. 
The  course  between  the  holes  should  be  free  of  long  grass, 
sticks,  and  stones,  with  only  the  roads,  walls,  and  ditches  as 
hazards.  But  the  more  hazards  there  are  alongside  of  the 


448 


Atitumn 


course  the  more  fun  there  is,  for  every  bad  play  is  punished 
by  placing  the  ball  in  a  position  that  will  test  the  players' 
patience  and  skill  to  extricate  it. 


FIG.  402.— Feet  Too  Wide  Apart 
in  Top  View. 


FIG.  401.— Feet  Correct  in  Side 
View. 


A  game  of  singles  is  when  two  persons,  each  with  a  ball 
of  his  own,  play  against  each  other.  One  of  foursomes  is 
*vhen  two  partners  play  against  two  other  partners,  each 
side  having  a  ball  and  the  partners  playing  alternately. 

Expert  Players 

often  play  against  two,  three,  or  more  players,  and  this  is 
called  three-,  four-,  or  five-ball  matches. 

When  a  number  of  players  play  in  pairs  and  score  for 
each  other  it  is  called  a  score  play. 


Golf,  Hockey,  and  Shinny  449 


Shinny. 

In  this  game  the  only  preparation  necessary  is  to  procure 
a  shinny  stick.  One  of  hickory  or  ash,  with  a  curve  at  one 
end  like  the  hook  of  an  old  man's  walking-stick,  is  the  best ; 
but  any  sapling  of  tough  wood  with  part  of  the  root  left  on 
for  a  hook  makes  a  good  shinny  stick.  If  the  game  is  on 
the  ice  and  you  search  the  border  of  the  pond  for  a  club, 
be  careful  that  you  keep  your  hands  off  the  white  poison 
sumach  that  grows  in  such  localities.  Otherwise  you  will 
rue  the  day  as  with  swollen  face  and  closed  eyes  you  learn 
the  effects  of  vegetable  poison  on  the  skin. 

The  wooden  bung  from  some  barrel  takes  the  place  of 
the  elaborate  golf  ball.  On  the  ice,  however,  a  rubber  ball 
is  better  and  much  less  dangerous.  In  place  of  plaid  suits 
and  Scotch  wool  stockings,  rolled  down  from  the  top  to 
show  the  gaudy  yarn  border,  the  ordinary  every-day  dress 
is  worn. 

The  Game  Itself. 

Two  goal  lines  are  settled  upon,  and  two  captains  are 
selected,  who  choose  sides  in  the  ordinary  way.  The  bung 
is  placed  midway  between  the  goals,  and  the  players  are 
stationed  to  suit  the  captain  or  themselves.  At  the  call  of 
time  both  captains  struggle  with  the  crooks  of  their  shinny 
sticks  to  obtain  control  of  the  bung  so  as  to  be  able  to 
knock  it  goalward.  After  the  bung  is  in  play  anyone  may 
strike  it  who  can,  but  woe  be  unto  the  lad  who,  in  his  anx- 
iety to  hit  the  bung,  gets  on  the  wrong  side  of  it.  "  Shinny 
on  your  own  side  !  "  is  the  warning  cry,  and  unless  the 
warning  is  obeyed  a  pair  of  black  and  blue  shins  will  record 
the  time  he  got  on  the  wrong  side  of  the  bung  to  strike  a 
left-handed  blow.  Each  goal  is  a  game,  and  as  many  games 


450 


Autumn 


are  played  as  suits  the  players.  The  side  A  strive  to  knock 
the  bung  over  the  goal  behind  the  side  B  ;  the  Bs  do  their 
best  to  prevent  this,  and  to  knock  the  bung  over  the  goal 
guarded  by  the  As.  On  the  ice  it  is  not  only  exciting,  but 
beautiful  to  see  the  long  racing  stroke  of  the  skater,  the 
short  quick  turn,  and  the  backward  glide  to  avoid  a  col- 
lision  ;  but  it  is  unfair  to  start  a  game  on  a  crowded  pond, 
as  it  practically  drives  the  other  pleasure-seekers  ashore, 
and  compels  them  to  give  up  their  sport. 

Hockey 

is  practically  the  same  as  shinny,  differing  in  immaterial 
points.  In  this  game  the  bung  is  called  the  "  hockey,"  the 
shinny  sticks,  hockey  sticks  ;  and  the  captains,  in  place  of 

scuffling  over  the  ball  at 
the  call  of  time,  toss  up 
for  choice  of  first  chance 
at  the  hockey.  The 
winner  at  the  call  of 
"  play  "  strikes  the  hoc- 
key with  his  club,  and  it 
is  the  business  of  his  an- 
tagonist to  strike  it  back 
again  as  soon  as  it  reach- 
es the  ground,  and  the 
game  consists  of  this  al- 
ternate striking  the  hoc- 
key backward  and  for. 
ward.  The  side  that  suc- 
ceeds in  forcing  the 
hockey  over  the  goal  line 
guarded  by  their  oppo- 
FIG.  403.— Hockey.  nents  wins  the  game. 


Golf,  Hockey,  and  Shinny  451 

The  great  similarity  of  the  games  of  "  hockey "  and 
shinny  *  offers  no  excuse  for  adopting  the  latter  as  an 
American  game,  for  shinny  was  played  by  our  fathers 
and  grandfathers  in  America,  and  we  claim  it  as  our 
own,  allowing  those  across  the  water  the  privilege  of  call- 
ing their  game  hockey. 

*  Shinny  originally  was  a  Highland  sport  and  went  by  the  name  of  clulch-bhal,  or 
camanachd,  and  was  played  to  the  music  of  bagpipes. 


Winter 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII 
TURTLE    HUNTING 

Methods  of  Capturing  "  Snappers  "  and  Terrapin  Described— The  Im- 
plements Necessary  and  Where  to  Search. 

WINTER  is  here,  but  genuine  winter  weather  with  snow 
and  ice  has  not  yet  arrived.  Knee-deep  in  the  woods  the 
brown  leaves  rustle,  and  with  every  wind  whirl  around  in 
russet  eddies,  filling  up  the  yawning  crevices  between  the 
gray  rocks.  The  gray  squirrels  and  the  chipmunks  are 
busy  digging  among  the  leaves  for  acorns  and  nuts  for 
their  winter  store. 

In  the  water  the  bass  will  no  longer  be  tempted  from 
their  hiding-places  by  fly  or  bait,  but  the  voracious  pickerel, 
though  he  may  ignore  the  spinning  spoon,  will  bite  greedily 
at  live  bait.  Overhead  the  whistling  wings  of  the  wild  duck 
send  a  thrill  down  the  sportsman's  back.  The  jutting  logs 
where  the  turtles  were  wont  to  sun  themselves  during  the 
hot  summer  days  stand  out  now  bare  and  unoccupied. 

Where  are  the  turtles?  Have  they  emigrated  with  the 
summer  birds  or  have  they  buried  themselves  in  the  mud 
peacefully  to  sleep  away  the  cold  winter,  as  our  forefathers 
believed  that  the  swallows  were  wont  to  do  ? 

This  is  a  practical  age.  If  any  one  tells  us  that  turtles 
bury  themselves  in  the  mud  we  will  investigate  and  see 
if  it  be  true.  If  our  forefathers  had  done  the  same  they 
never  would  have  believed  that  the  swallows  were  guilty 


456 


Winter 


of  passing  the  winter  in  such  a  stupid  manner,  or  that 
geese  were  hatched  from  barnacles,  or  any  other  of  the 
fairy  stories  that  made  up  the  natural  histories  of  their  day. 

As  a  boy  I  have 
dug  frogs  from  the 
bottom  of  streams  in 

_  ,.,,,,,,  ^^  mid  winter,  and  was 

4%" 


not  inclined  to  doubt 
that  turtles  might 
pass  the  cold  weath- 
er in  the  same  man- 
ner. Still,  before 
adopting  that  belief 
I  made  up  my  mind 
to  investigate  the 
subject.  One  raw, 
bleak  day  I  sallied 
forth  with  a  pole  one 
end  of  which  was 
armed  with  an  iron 
hook  (Fig.  403)  and 
the  other  with  an 
iron  spike.  A  gen- 
tleman well  known  among  naturalists  accompanied  me,  and 
led  me  to  the  haunts  of  the  "snappers."  Flowing  through 
a  wide  pasture  was  a  small  creek  with  rather  high  banks. 
Along  the  edge  we  walked  until  we  came  upon  the  stump 
of  an  old  tree. 

Hooking  Turtles. 

Here  my  guide  paused  and  asked  me  to  see  if  there  was 
not  a  turtle  there.  Following  his  directions  I  prodded  the 
earth  beneath  the  roots  of  the  old  stump,  and  a  foot  or  two 


FIG.  404.— Turtle  Hunter  and  Turtle  Stick. 


Turtle  Hunting  457 


below  the  surface  struck  something  hard.  I  could  tell  by 
the  "  feel  "  that  it  was  neither  stone  nor  wood.  Hastily  re. 
versing  my  pole  I  thrust  the  iron  hook  into  the  yielding 
soil,  and,  working  it  under  the  hard  object,  found  little  dif- 
ficulty in  unearthing  a  very  large  and  exceedingly  angry 
old  "  snapper."  I  think  that  with  little  labor  we  could  have 
filled  a  wagon  with  turtles  of  all  sizes  from  under  the  shores 
of  that  little  Ohio  creek,  and  among  them  were  some  veri- 
table monsters.  But  our  mission  was  not  one  of  extermina- 
tion, and  after  securing  four  for  our  host  we  returned  in 
triumph  and  placed  the  great  gasping  monsters  on  the  lawn 
to  be  admired  by  our  friends. 

I  left  that  evening,  but  learned  that  the  four  turtles  made 
a  splendid  soup  and  supplied  a  never-failing  topic  of  con- 
versation, as  it  was  again  and  again  related  how  the  man 
and  boy  took  two  broomsticks  into  the  pasture,  were  gone 
but  a  short  time,  and  returned  with  more  turtles  than  the 
farmers  thereabouts  would  see  in  a  summer. 

Terrapin   Hunting. 

Everyone  on  the  Atlantic  coast  has  either  read  of  or 
seen  the  "diamond  backs"  that  are  prized  so  highly  by 
people  who  are  fond  of  rich  and  expensive  dishes.  It  was 
a  sorry  day  for  this  race  of  turtles  when  they  became  a 
fashionable  article  of  food,  for  they  have  been  hunted  ever 
since.  On  Long  Island  they  are  found  and  captured  in  the 
manner  described  for  "snappers,"  but  the  pole  is  armed  with 
a  trowel  or  paddle-shaped  blade  in  place  of  the  spike,  and 
the  other  end  has  a  stiff  wire  loop  bent  out  at  right  angles 
from  the  rod  in  place  of  the  iron  hook.  A  damaged  ter- 
rapin will  not  bring  as  much  money  as  a  perfect  one,  and 
the  wire  loop  is  less  liable  to  hurt  the  terrapin's  feet  and 
legs.  It  is  claimed  that  wounds  cause  ugly  warts  to  grow 


458 


Winter 


upon  the  injured  parts,  which  make   them  less  desirable 
in  the  market. 

Like  their  fresh-water  relatives,  terrapins  upon  the  ap- 
proach of  winter  leave  the  broader  water,  arid,   following 

the  small  inlets  and 
ditches  at  the  head 
of  the  creeks,  bury 
themselves  in  the 
black  salt -meadow 
mud.  To  hunt  them 
you  should  have 
long  rubber  boots,  a 
rod  as  described, 
and  an  old  sack  for 
a  game-bag  (Fig. 
405).  Thus  arrayed 
sally  forth  and  look 
for  signs.  Experi 
ence  will  soon  teach 
you  to  recognize  the 
terrapin's  tracks  anc 
to  follow  them  up  to 


FIG.  405.— Terrapin  Hunter  and  Terrapin  Stick. 


the  spot  where  he 
has  taken  a  "  head 
er  "  into  the  mud.  There  you  prod  for  him  until  the  shove 
end  of  your  pole  strikes  his  hard  shell.  Then  you  use  the 
pole  to  shovel  away  the  mud  and  the  loop  with  which  to 
fish  him  out. 

Terrapin  over  half  a  foot  in  length  are  called  by  the 
trade  "counts;"  those  less  than  a  half  foot  and  more  than 
five  inches  "  short  counts ;  "  females  under  five  inches  are 
heifers ;  large  females  are  "  cows,"  and  males  "  bulls." 

There  are  only  a  few  men  who  are  aware  of  the  existence 


Turtle  Hunting  459 

of  "  diamond  backs  "  as  far  north  as  New  York,  and  fewer 
still  who  know  where  and  how  to  hunt  them,  and  these  few 
try  to  keep  their  occupation  a  secret.  There  is  no  reason 
why  boys  should  be  debarred  from  this  sport,  and  a  good 
catch  will  supply  cash  enough  to  buy  fishing-tackle  galore 
for  next  Summer's  campaign. 


CHAPTER  XXXIX 
ON  THE  ICE 

Plain  and  Fancy  Skating— Begin  to  Learn  Young— Cutting  a  Circle— 
The  Spread  Eagle— The  Bull  Frog— The  Grapevine  Garland— The 
Danger  of  "  Follow  the  Leader." 

SMALL  feet  have  tested  the  strength  of  the  ice  morning 
after  morning,  until  at  last  the  boys  hail  each  other  with  the 
joyous  cry  of  "  The  ice  will  bear! " 

Old  skates  come  rattling  down  from  their  perch  on  the 
top  shelves  of  the  closets,  the  dust  is  wiped  off,  and  the 
sharpness  of  their  runners  tested  by  boyish  fingers. 

What  a  thrill  used  to  run  through  the  scholars  in  the 
little  frame  "  Academy  "  at  my  "  old  Kentucky  home,"  when 
some  boy  announced,  "  Licking  will  bear!  "  Which,  being 
translated,  meant  that  the  muddy  stream  called  the  Licking 
River  had  frozen  over  and  that  the  ice  was  thick  enough  to 
bear  the  weight  of  a  boy. 

When  at  last  the  Saturday  holiday  arrived,  with  what 
feverish  haste  we  ate  our  breakfast,  even  begrudging  the 
time  taken  to  consume  our  food.  Ah,  those  were  glorious 
days!  In  imagination  now  I  can  hear  the  musical  notes 
made  by  the  vibrating  ice  under  the  weight  of  a  crowd  of 
merry  boys  as  with  glad  shouts  we  glided  over  the  glassy 
surface  of  the  river. 

Sometimes  even  the  conservative  and  busy  Ohio  River 
would  suspend  all  business  and  close  its  doors  of  ice.  At 


On  the  Ice  461 


such  times  the  flat  boats,  barges,  and  steamboats  would  lie 
helpless  and  idle  along  the  shores,  their  only  use  being 
that  of  a  resting-place  and  shelter  for  skating  parties.  I 
then  thought  that  when  a  person  reached  an  age  when  he 
no  longer  cared  to  skate,  it  was  time  for  him  to  die.  This 
opinion,  like  many  others  of  my  boyhood,  is  being  gradually 
modified. 

Little  Danger. 

While  we  older  fellows  look  on  the  reader  may  stand  on 
one  foot  and  flinging  out  his  other  spin  like  a  top. 

And  if  he  falls  little  harm  is  done;  his  bones  are  not 
brittle  and  his  body  is  light. 

Keep  Your  Hands  Out  of  Your  Pockets. 

The  only  dangerous  falls  come  from  skating  over  sticks, 
leaves,  chips,  bits  of  paper  or  similar  objects  which  sud- 
denly stop  the  swiftly  gliding  feet,  bringing 
the  upper  part  of  the  body  down  with  a  bang 
upon  the  ice.  Even  under  these  conditions 
serious  results  seldom  follow  a  fall  unless  the 
skater  has  his  hands  in  his  pockets.  The 
writer  still  bears  scars  that  testify  to  the  truth 
of  this  statement. 


When  to   Begin. 

The  boy  should  begin  skating  as  soon  as 
he  can  procure  skates  small  enough  to  fit  his  FIG.  406.— Danger 
little  feet.  In  Friesland,  Holland,  the  babies 
learn  to  skate  as  soon  as  they  are  able  to  toddle,  and  they 
are  expert  skaters  by  the  time  they  are  six  or  seven  years 
old.  Indeed,  in  America,  small  boys  generally  do  begin 
when  they  can  get  a  skate  of  any  size.  One  skate  satisfies 


462 


Winter 


them  at  first,  and  if  they  are  lucky  enough  to  have  access 
to  two  the  other  one  is  usually  loaned  to  a  comrade. 

The  Old  Wooden  Skate. 

Thirty  years  ago  the  old  skates  that  fell  into  the  posses- 
sion of  the  small  boy  were  unique  in  pattern.  Fastened 
to  a  bright  red  wooden  foot-piece  was  a  long,  straight  run- 
ner  which  ended  in  a  spiral  of  steel  that  curved  gracefully 
up  over  the  toe  and  terminated  in  a  beautiful  brass  acorn. 
The  skates  were  fastened  to  the  feet  by  heel-  and  toe-straps. 
The  toe-straps  crossed,  sandal  fashion,  over  the  toe,  ran 
across  the  instep  through  two  iron  rings  in  the  heel-strap 
and  back  again  to  the  buckle.  A  sharp  spike  held  the  shoe- 
heel  in  place.  With  one  of  these  acorn  skates  bound  on  one 
foot,  the  straps  tightened  by  sundry  chips  and  sticks  thrust 
between  them  and  the  shoe,  the  small  boy 
was  happv^  as  he  glided  down  the  frozen 
gutter  on  one  foot. 

Christmas  came  and  in  the  bulging 
stocking  there  was  more  than  likely  to  be 
a  pair  of  small  skates  with  screw  heels  and 
broad  toe-  and  heel-straps.  These  were 
usually  about  an  inch  or  one-half  of  an 
inch  longer  than  the  foot,  to  allow  for  the 
boy's  growth.  On  the  screw-heels  the 
boy  learned  plain  forward  skating  suffi- 
ciently well  to  be  able  to  play  tag  and  shin- 
ny on  the  canal,  river,  or  pond. 

The  third  stage  in  his  career  was  when 
his  older  brother,  father,  pr  uncle  present- 
ed him  with  a  beautiful  pair  of  club  skates,  with  no  straps 
of  any  kind. 

When  the  glittering  club  skates  were  locked  on  his  feet 


FIG.  407.  —The  Old 
Brass  Acorn  Skate. 


On  the  Ice 


463 


his  ambition  began  to  grow  and  he  was  sooi>  to  be  seen 
experimenting  on  the  more  difficult  feats  in  seating.  His 
efforts  were  now  directed  to 

Cutting  a  Circle. 

This  is  one  of  the  first  figures  learned  by  begihners,  and 
although  it  requires  a  small  amount  of  outer-edge  skating, 
it  is  learned  before 
any  serious  attempts 
are  made  at  master- 
ing the  latter  art. 
To  begin  you  strike 
out  on  the  left  foot 
with  the  body  lean- 
ing toward  the  left, 
the  centre  of  the 
proposed  circle. 
When  the  weight  of 
the  body  is  on  the 
outside  edge  the 
line  described  by  the  skate  runner  will  be  a  curve  directed 
outward  (Fig.  408).  As  soon  as  you  find  that  you  car 
continue  on  that  stroke  no  longer  bring  the  right  fool 
quickly  forward  and  down.  This  last  must  be  a  short 
stroke  of  only  sufficient  duration  to  give  you  time  for  an- 
other  outer-edge  stroke  with  your  left  foot.  At  first  you 
will  make  a  very  large  circle,  but  gradually  as  you  "  catch 
the  knack  of  the  thing  "  you  will  be  able  to  contract  the 
ring  to  smaller  dimensions.  When  you  have  mastered  the 
left-foot  circle,  try  it  on  the  right  foot  and  practise  it  until 
you  are  able  to  go  either  way  with  equal  speed  and  grace. 
It  is  great  fun  to  have  a  crowd  of  seven  or  eight  boys  on 
one  circle,  each  trying  to  go  faster  than  his  fellows. 


FIG.  408.— Cutting  a  Circle. 


464  Winter 


The  Backward  Circle. 

This,  when  learned,  is  easier  than  the  forward  ring,  for 
the  push  stroke  is  made  with  the  toe.  When  going  back- 
ward  great  force  can  be  given  to  the  toe-push  stroke  by 
slightly  lifting  the  heel. 

To  cut  the  circle  backward  you  must  simply  reverse 
your  forward  movement. 

No  boy  can  learn  to  skate  by  reading  these  suggestions ; 
he  can  only  obtain  hints  that  will  help  him  when  he  attempts 
the  different  figures  described.  The  only  way  to  do  any- 
thing  is  to  DO  IT. 

Put  on  your  skates  and  try,  and  while  trying  sooner  or 
later  the  feat  will  be  performed.  The  best  assistance  is 
obtained  in  watching  fellow-skaters  further  advanced  than 
yourself  in  the  art. 

After  you  have  perfected  yourself  in  cutting  the  circle 
forward  and  backward,  to  the  left  and  to  the  right,  the  other 
more  difficult  motions  will  suddenly  lose  their  awe-inspir- 
ing qualities,  because  in  acquiring  the  simpler  figures  you 
have  unconsciously  gained  control  of  your  muscles.  The 
muscles  were  all  there  before,  but  as  they  had  never  been 
called  upon  to  perform  the  work  they  were  designed  for, 
when  you  gave  your  first  command  they  rebelled.  Your 
foot  would  not  go  as  you  directed  it  and  you  thought  your- 
self  awkward.  Awkward  you  were,  but  an  awkward  boy 
is  a  boy  who  has  not  trained  his  muscles,  and  a  graceful  lad 
is  one  whose  muscles  have  been  disciplined  to  act  as  he 
directs. 

Now  stand  up  on  your  skates  and  assert  your  authority 
over  your  rebellious  muscles,  tell  them  that  you  intend  to 
be  a  skater,  and  to  begin  with  you  expect  them  to  help  you. 


On  the  Ice 


465 


To  Skate   Backwards. 

Work  or  skull  yourself  along  any  way,  until  you  are  able 
to  detect  the  proper  moment  and  proper  manner  of  giving 
the  strokes.  This  accomplished,  you  may  call  yourself  a  good 
plain  skater. 

The  Spread   Eagle 

is  one  of  the  first  steps  in  the  advance  from  plain  to  fancy 
skating.  Even  when  well  done  it  lacks  the  elements  of 
grace,  but  it  is  most  excellent  practice  to  render  the  limbs 
supple  and  make  other  more  graceful  tricks  possible  ;  and 
it  is  a  favorite  performance  of  boy  skaters. 

How  to  Perform  the  Feat. 

You  must  skate  straight  away  until  you  have  gained 
sufficient  headway,  then  at  the  end  of  the  last  stroke  turn 
the  toes  out  so  that  the  runners  of  your  skates  make  a 
straight  line  heel  to  heel,  one  skate  following  the  other.  In 
this  position  you  will  glide  over  the  ice  until  the  momen- 
tum first  gained  is  exhausted.  At  first  the 
beginner  will  be  only  partially  successful, 
but  gradually  he  will  be  able  to  describe 
a  wide  circle  forward,  and  in  a  little  while 
gain  sufficient  control  of  his  feet  to  slide 
across  the  skating  pond  in  a  straight  line 
(Fig.  409). 

The  Spread  Eagle  Backwards 

will   be   found   more   difficult,   for  it   ne- 

cessitates turning  the  toes  out  until  they 

point  backward.     In  performing  this  last 

feat  it  is  no  easy  matter  to  keep  your  balance,  but  per- 

fection  comes  with  practice,  and    soon   the  boy  who  de- 


FlG-      " 


Strad" 


466  Winter 


votes  time  to  practice  will  excite  the  admiration  of  his  com- 
rades by  the  ease  with  which  he  turns  either  forward  or 
backward.  During  his  practice  the  beginner 
will  undoubtedly  bend  his  knees,  as  shown  in 
(Fig.  409),  but  after  he  has  reached  that  point 
of  excellence  where  his  whole  mind  need  not 
be  centred  on  his  feet,  he  may  learn  gradually 
to  straighten  his  legs  until  at  last  he  can  do 
the  spread  eagle  forward  and  backward  with- 
out looking  like  a  straddle  bug  (Fig.  410). 

The  Bull  Frog. 

This  consists  of  a  circle  cut  by  skat- 
ing spread-eagle  forward  and  by  making 
a  succession  of  leaps.  When  the  writer 
FlGin4I?;7pSerrFaodrmagle  was  still  a  boy  of  fourteen  or  fifteen 
years,  it  was  considered  the  best  of  fun 
for  rive  or  six  boys  to  group  themselves  in  the  centre  of 
the  skating  pond  or  river  and  do  the  "  bull  frog."  The 
sight  is  comical  and  certain  to  win  applause  and  laughter, 
but  no  novice  need  attempt  it.  Like  the  clown's  "  drop 
act,"  described  in  the  chapter  on  "  Stilts,"  the  "  bull  frog  " 
requires  practice  to  learn. 

How  the  Bull  Frogs  Jump. 

Spread  your  toes  out  spread-eagle  fashion.  Then  leap 
into  the  air  by  raising  yourself  first  on  your  toes  and 
then  springing  from  them.  This  is  done  all  in  one  move- 
ment. The  slightest  possible  inclination  to  the  right 
will  cause  you  to  move  in  that  direction  ;  and  the  di- 
rection your  toes  point,  will  cause  you,  in  a  succession  of 
leaps,  to  describe  a  circle,  the  novelty  of  which  appeals  to 


On  the  Ice  467 


all  boys.  A  more  graceful  and  equally  novel  ring  can 
be  made  without  lifting  your  skates  from  the  ice.  This  is 
called 

A  Spread-Eagle  Circle, 

and  it  is  cut  by  spreading  the  feet  as  in  the  "  bull-frog." 
But  in  place  of  leaping  the  skater  must  learn  to  keep  his 
feet  moving,  first  the  right  foot  forward  and  the  left  foot 
back,  then  the  left  foot  forward  and  right  foot  back,  always 
with  toes  turned  out  spread-eagle  fashion.  When  properly 
done  this  motion  will  cause  the  skater  to  glide  around  in  a 
circle,  his  feet  moving  in  a  most  bewildering  manner  while 
they  weave  a  pretty  grape-vine  pattern  on  the  ice  called 
(Fig.  411) 

The  Grapevine  Garland. 

The  momentum  needed  in  order  to  cut  this  figure  is  ac- 
quired by  a  slight  push  with  the  toe  at  each  movement  of 
either  foot,  and  as  the  feet  are  never  lifted 
from  the  ice,  the  push  is  imperceptible  to 
the  observer,  and  the  motion  unaccount- 
able to  many  old  skaters,  few  of  whom 
seem  to  know  the  garland  figure  or  spread- 
eagle  circle. 

When  you  are  able  to  cut  all  the  fig- 
ures and  skate  as  described  in  this  chap-     FIG.  411.— The  Grape- 
vine Garland. 

ter,  it  is  safe  to   leave  you  alone.     Soon 
the  "  double  roll,"  the  "  single  and  double  grapevine,"  the 
"  outside  and  inside  edge  "  will  be  familiar  and  easy  feats 
for  you  to  perform.     As  for  the 

Outside  Edge, 

in  cutting  the  circle  you  have  learned  the  secret  of  main- 
taining  your  balance  while  leaning  outward  on  either  foot, 


468 


Winter 


FIG.  412.  FIG.  413-  FIG.  414. 


and  it  is  only  necessary  to  make  this  stroke  first  with  the 
left  and  then  with  the  right  foot  and  you  will  find  yourself 

sailing  along  in  the  most  ap- 
proved outer-edge  style.  You 
have  learned  to  trust  to  your 
ankle  and  the  sharp  edge  of 
your  skate  for  support,  and 
the  real  battle  is  over. 
Beware  of 


FIG.  412. — Outside  Edge. 

FIG.  413.— Spread  Eagle  Backward. 

FIG.  414— Spread  Eagle  Forward. 


Air-Holes. 

In  every  group  of  boys 
there  are  a  few  hare-brained, 
foolish  fellows  who  are  contin- 
ually getting  themselves  and 
their  playfellows  into  trouble,  often  of  a  most  serious  nat- 
ure. A  favorite  method  pursued  by  these  would-be  he- 
roes  is  to  start  a  game  of 

"Follow  the  Leader,"  or  "I  Conquer," 

on  the  ice.  Of  course  the  would-be  brave  boy  elects  him- 
self leader  and  the  others  must  follow.  The  only  difference 
between  Follow  the  Leader  and  I  Conquer  is  that  when  an 
act  is  performed  by  the  leader  in  the  first  case  he  calls  out, 
in  a  bantering  tone,  "Follow  the  leader!"  In  the  second 
he  tosses  his  head  with  an  impudent  air  and  exclaims,  "  I 
conquer ! "  This  is  meant  as  a  challenge  to  the  others,  but 
the  others  must  remember  that  the  danger  is  apt  to  increase 
in  proportion  to  the  number  of  boys  in  turn.  The  leader 
skates  along  and  jumps  an  air-hole,  shouting,  "  I  conquer! " 
The  ice  is  weakened  by  his  jump  and  it  is  jjiore  and  more 
dangerous  for  each  succeeding  boy  who  jumps. 


On  the  Ice 


469 


The  Tickly-Bender,  or  Running  Tommie. 

The  leader  finds  a  weak  place  in  the  ice  which  is  called 
a  "  Tickly-bender,"  and  skating  over  it  cries,  "  I  conquer ! " 
If  the  other  boys  are  green  they  follow  him.  With  each 
succeeding  boy  the  ice  bends  more  and  more  until  at  last 
one  boy  breaks  through,  often  with  fatal  results.  For  the 
late  leader,  when  confronted  by  real  danger,  cannot  be  de- 
pended upon  to  risk  much  in  order  to  rescue  his  unfortunate 
follower.  Skating  over  a  "  tickly-bender  "  in  Yankeedom  is 
called  "  Running  Tommie."  If  any  of  my  readers  like  the 
excitement  of "  Running  Tommie,"  let  them  choose  ice  where 
there  is  not  more 
than  one  or  two  feet 
of  water  underneath, 
and  even  then  the 
danger  of  wet  feet, 
frozen  clothes,  a  bad 
cold,  and  a  well-de- 
served lecture  at 
home  ought  to  fur- 
nish excitement 
enough  to  satisfy 
them. 

The  really  brave 
lad  does  not  adver- 
tise that  quality  by 
engaging  his  com- 
panions in  a  sport 

that  brings   all   the  fl        FIG.  414  a. —shinny. 

danger  to  his  followers,  but  he  is  first  to  act  when  a  com- 
panion needs  assistance ;  and  it  is  to  such  a  boy's  cool  head 
and  "  nerve  "  that  many  a  rattle-brained  lad  owes  his  life. 


CHAPTER  XL 
STUNNING  MUSK-RATS  AND  FISH 

Sport  for  Boys  on  Skates  when  the  Ice  is  Thin  and  Clear — How  Cat- 
fish and  "  Suckers  "  are  Stunned  and  Captured. 

AFTER  the  first  freeze,  and  while  the  ice  is  still  trans- 
parent but  thick  enough  to  support  your  weight,  if  you 
visit  the  mill-pond  where  you  know  that  musk-rats  abound 
you  are  pretty  sure  to  be  able  to  frighten  them  from  their 
holes  in  the  bank  to  the  water.  The  poor  rodents  seem  to 
forget  that  ice  has  formed  over  their  pond,  and  they  can 
be  plainly  seen  and  followed  by  the  skaters  who,  armed 
with  axes,  strike  the  ice  above  the  fleeing  rat. 

A  Hard  Blow 

on  the  surface  of  the  ice  stuns  the  creature  underneath,  and 
a  few  quick  blows  with  the  edge  of  the  axe  open  a  hole 
from  which  the  half-stunned  animal  may  be  fished,  and 
thrust  into  a  bag  brought  for  the  purpose.  A  frightened 
musk-rat  can  make  a  severe  wound  with  his  long,  chisel- 
like  teeth,  so  care  must  be  taken  to  grasp  the  captive 
around  the  throat  and  hold  him  in  that  position  until  he  is 
safe  in  the  bag.  A  tame  musk-rat  has  no  more  desire  to 
bite  than  a  tame  dog. 

Some  boys  kill  the  rats  as  they  are  taken  from  the  water 
and  preserve  their  skins,  which  have  a  market  value ;  but 
most  of  the  lads  enter  into  the  sport  for  the  fun  and  excite. 


Stunning  Musk- Rats  and  Fish         471 

ment  of  the  chase,  and  either  free  the  animals  after  they  are 
captured  or  turn  them  over  to  some  companion,  who  may 
in  time  sell  enough  of  their  skins  to  secure  the  price  of  a 
good  pair  of  the  latest  model  of  skates. 


/      — _ 


FIG.  415.— Stunning  Musk- Rats. 

Stunning  Cat-fish. 

We  used  to  go  "stunning  cats"  on  the  same  ponds  in 
which  we  hunted  the  musk-rats,  but  the  sport  was  not 
nearly  as  exciting,  for  the  cat-fish  were  numb  with  cold  and 
made  but  feeble  efforts  to  escape.  Still  a  good  string  of 
these  black-mustached  fish  brought  with  it  a  certain  feel- 
ing of  satisfaction  that  all  sportsmen  can  understand. 


472  Winter 


We  never  bothered  to  carry  an  axe  for  "cats,"  but 
skated  around  with  big  stones  in  our  hands,  which  we  let 
drop  on  the  ice  just  over  the  spot  where  the  fish  rested. 
The  concussion  caused  the  fish  to  turn  belly  up.  Then  the 
ice  was  broken  with  the  same  stone  and  the  fish  taken  out. 

This  was  in  the  Ohio  valley,  but  there  are  both  cat-fish 
and  musk-rats  in  ponds  scattered  over  a  wide  area  of  our 
country,  and  the  sport  will  have  the  same  attractions  in  the 
mountain  ponds  of  Pennsylvania  as  in  the  muddy  ponds  on 
the  bottom  lands  of  the  Ohio  River  valley. 

I  never  heard  of  skaters  in  New  England  hunting  musk- 
rats  or  cat-fish ;  but  there  are  many  New  England  boys 
who  keenly  enjoy  the  chase  and  capture  of  that  comical, 
big-headed  fish,  whose  pouting  lips  have  given  it  the  name 
of  "sucker." 

Stunning  "Suckers." 

These  sturdy  little  New  England  lads,  with  their  skates 
dangling  over  their  backs,  and  armed  with  sucker-clubs, 
as  they  call  the  short  bludgeon  they  carry,  and  an  axe  or 
hatchet,  may  often  be  seen  sallying  forth  after  the  first 
freeze.  The  time  they  select  is  when  the  sucker  stream  has 
a  new  coating  of  fresh,  transparent  ice.  If  you  should  ask 
them  where  they  were  going,  the  cheery  reply  would  come 
back,  with  Yankee  accent,  "  Going  a-stunning  suckers." 

The  hunting  "  ground  "  that  is  selected  is  usually  a  shal- 
low stretch  of  water  not  more  than  from  six  to  twelve  inches 
deep.  Here  the  boys  scatter  themselves  over  the  thin  ice, 
which  bends  under  their  skates  in  an  alarming  manner  and 
protests  against  the  excursion  with  the  peculiar  musical, 
half-smothered,  booming  noise  familiar  to  all  skaters  on  new 
ice.  It  seems  as  if  they  were  gliding  stealthily  over  the 
unfrozen  surface  of  the  water.  So  clear  is  the  ice  that  each 


Stunning  Musk-Rats  and  Fish         473 

leaf  and  stick  that  is  dislodged  from  its  resting-place  by  the 
current  is  as  distinctly  seen  as  it  floats  beneath  them  as  if 
no  ice  intervened. 

Hist !  A  boy  in  mid-stream  spies  his  prey  lying  diag- 
onally across  the  current,  with  just  sufficient  movement  of 
tail  and  fin  to  keep  his  position.  Watch  the  sucker-club 
now  as  it  rises  over  the  lad's  head  and  comes  down  on  the 
ice  with 

A  Resounding  Blow 

that  sends  the  cracks  radiating  out  like  a  sunburst  from  the 
small  hole  where  the  water  from  below  oozes,  like  life-blood, 
through  the  ice.  The  tail  and  fins  of  the  fish  have  ceased 
to  move,  and  his  white  vest  may  be  seen,  as  with  his  dark 
back  to  the  bottom  and  white  belly  upturned,  he  slowly 
floats  down  stream. 

The  shout  of  triumph  which  accompanied  the  blow  of 
the  sucker-club  was  not  necessary  to  attract  the  attention 
of  the  boy  with  the  hatchet.  A  few  quick  strokes  of  his 
skates  bring  him  to  the  spot,  and  the  keen,  cold  blade  of  his 
weapon  soon  makes  a  hole  in  the  path,  but  below  the  stunned 
sucker.  The  fish  is  not  dead  and  frequently  escapes  if  the 
axe  boy  lacks  judgment.  When  the  hole  in  the  ice  is  not 
cut  in  the  proper  place,  or  too  much  time  is  allowed  to 
elapse,  the  fish  recovers  from  the  shock  of  the  blow,  and, 
although  at  first  he  may  swim  slowly,  he  usually  manages 
to  escape.  Few,  however,  evade  the  trained  hunter  when 
once  he  has  struck  the  fatal  blow. 

This  sort  of  fishing  possesses  one  great  advantage  over 
the  ordinary  pastime.  When  you  are  out  stunning  suckers 
you  select  only  such  fish  as  you  want,  passing  the  little 
ones  by.  When  you  see  a  New  England  sucker  hunter 
raise  his  club  you  may  know  that  an  old  "buster"  is  in 
sight;  otherwise  the  fish  would  be  passed  without  notice. 


474  Winter 


Caution  to  Beginners. 

Don't  become  excited  and  strike  too  hard.  If  you  do, 
you  may  smash  the  thin  ice  and  do  no  damage  to  the  fish, 
but  splash  the  cold  water  in  your  own  face  and  be  laughed 
at  by  your  playmates. 

A  "Buster" 

weighs  from  a  pound  to  a  pound  and  one-half  inmost  places, 
but  in  such  rivers  as  the  Housatonic  and  Naugatuck  real 
"  busters  "  weigh  from  five  to  six  pounds.  In  poorer  streams 
from  fifteen  to  fifty  pounds  of  fish  are  not  an  uncommon 
catch. 


CHAPTER  XLI 
SNOW-BALL  BATTLE  AND  SNOW  TAG 

The  Rules  of  Snow-ball  Battle— How  Rome  and  Carthage  is  Played  in 
Cuba — The  Ingenious  Game  of  Snow  Tag. 

THE  two  selected  captains  toss  up  in  the  usual  manner 
for  first  choice  of  men.  Then  alternately,  as  in  a  spelling 
bee,  each  chooses  a  soldier  until  all  are  taken.  Two  taw 
lines  are  then  drawn  about  thirty  feet  apart,  and  two  flag- 
staffs  with  colored  handkerchiefs  for  flags  are  erected  in  each 
camp.  To  bear  the  enemy's  flag  to  your  own  camp,  that 
is,  over  the  taw  line,  wins  the  victory  for  your  side.  Tack- 
ling is  allowed,  as  in  foot-ball,  and  is  limited  by  the  same 
rules.  No  boy  bearing  the  mark  of  a  snow-ball  on  chest  or 
back  is  allowed  to  take  further  part  in  the  game,  as  he  is 
considered  to  be  a  dead  soldier,  but  the  dead  soldiers  may 
coach  their  comrades  as  often  as  they  please.  No  trip- 
ping, no  striking,  no  ice  balls,  and  no  "  soakers  "  (wet  snow- 
balls) are  allowed,  as  the  object  of  this  battle  is  to  win,  not 
to  hurt  or  injure,  a  playmate  who  in  the  next  game  may  be 
fighting  at  your  side. 

Rome  and  Carthage. 

In  Cuba  the  little  insurgents  play  this  game,  using  In- 
dia-rubber balls  in  place  of  snow-balls,  and  having  only 
one  flag.  This  is  in  a  fort  which  the  attacking  party  try  to 
capture.  Each  boy  hit  with  a  ball  is  considered  dead,  but 


476  Winter 


if  he  catches  the  ball  he  can  hurl  it  back  and  continue  the 
fight.  This  Cuban  ball-game  closely  resembles  the  snow- 
fort  game  described  in  "  The  American  Boy's  Handy  Book ;  " 
but  the  barrel-top  shields  that  are  used  by  the  besieging 
party  of  the  snow  fort  are  unknown  in  the  Cuban  game. 
They  call  the  game  Rome  and  Carthage. 

Snow  Tag. 

Often  in  travelling  through  the  Northern  States  when 
the  deep  snow  covered  the  ground  I  have  noticed  strange 
circular,  or  rather  wheel-shaped,  patterns  made  of  paths  in 
the  snow.  It  was  never  my  fortune  to  see  anyone  walking 
in  these  paths,  and  as  the  form  of  the  pattern  made  it  im- 
possible for  the  paths  to  lead  anywhere,  their  use  was  a 
problem  that  I  could  not  solve.  Use  they  evidently  had, 
for  some  were  many  feet  in  diameter  and  must  have  required 
work  and  hard  work  to  make,  as  anyone  who  has  attempted 
to  shovel  the  snow  off  his  own  front  walk  must  know.  In- 
quiry at  last  revealed  the  fact  that  these  strange  circular 
figures  were  made  by  the  boys  for  Snow  Tag. 

How  to  Play  the  Game. 

Count  out  for  "  It  "  as  in  I  Spy  or  ordinary  tag.  While 
"  It "  takes  his  place  at  the  hub  of  the  wheel  the  other 
players  scatter  around  the  circumference  or  rim,  and  the 
word  "  ready  "  is  given.  "  It  "  then  darts  out  one  of  the 
"  spoke  "  paths  and  endeavors  to  tag  some  one  of  the  other 
boys,  and  the  fun  begins.  Two  cannot  pass  each  other  on 
the  narrow  paths,  and  the  fleeing  boys  often  step  on  each 
others'  heels,  trip  and  tumble  head  first  into  the  deep  snow, 
forming  an  easy  prey  for  "  It ;  "  but  again  the  lads  will  dance 
around  in  a  most  provoking  manner,  and  as  "  It "  darts  up 


Snow-Ball  Battle  and  Snow  Tag       477 

one  spoke  toward  the  rim,  the  players  dart  down  the  other 
toward  the  hub  and  show  great  skill  in  eluding  "  It." 

The  game  can  be  played  in  perfection  only  in  very  deep 
snow,  where  the  rule  against  going  out  of  the  bounds  is  en- 
forced by  the  impossibility  of  running,  or  even  walking 
with  any  speed  through  the  snow  heaped  up  on  all  sides. 
When  "  It "  tags  a  playmate  by  holding  him  long  enough 

to  repeat 

"  Snow  Wag, 
Snow  Rag, 
Snow  Tag ! " 

the  boy  thus  tagged  is  "  It,"  and  takes  his  place  at  the 
"  hub,"  and  the  game  is  started  again  when  the  boys  an- 
nounce themselves  as  ready  at  the  rim. 


CHAPTER  XLII 
THE  "GET-THERE"  AND  DOUBLE-RUNNERS 

Instructions  as  to  How  to  Build  these  Famous  Sleds — A  Safety  Double- 

Runner. 

THIS  is  the  way  in  which  to  build  the  "  Get-There :  " 
For  the  runners  take  a  plank  one  foot  wide  and  a  little  over 
twice  as  long  as  the  length  of  one  of  the  proposed  runners 
(Fig.  416,  A,  B,  C,  D).  From  the  point  B  measure  upon  the 
edge  of  the  board  twelve  inches,  and  mark  the  point  E  (Fig. 
417).  From  E  measure  three  feet  six  inches,  and  mark  the 
point  G.  From  G  measure  three  feet  six  inches,  and  mark 
the  point  I.  From  A  measure  three  feet  six  inches,  and 
mark  the  point  F.  From  F  measure  three  feet  six  inches, 
and  mark  the  point  H.  With  a  straight  piece  of  board  for 
a  ruler,  and  a  soft  lead-pencil,  rule  a  line  from  A  to  E,  an- 
other line  from  F  to  G,  another  line  from  H  to  I.  On  the 
line  A  E  measure  nine  and  one-half  inches,  and  mark  the 
point  K.  From  E  measure  three  and  one-half  inches,  and 
mark  the  point  J.  Take  a  saw  and  saw  from  E  to  A  along 
the  line  E  A.  Saw  again  through  the  line  F  G,  and  again 
through  the  line  H  I.  You  will  now  have  two  runners  of 
the  form  shown  by  Figs.  417  and  418. 

Again  take  the  saw,  and,  beginning  at  J,  saw  off  the  piece 
K  E  J.  Then  with  your  jack-knife  round  off  the  top  as 
shown  by  Fig.  419  at  L,  and  the  bottom  as  shown  at  M. 
The  dotted  lines  show  the  part  whittled  off. 


The  "  Get -There  "  and  Double- Runners    479 


FIG. 


FIG.  417 


FIG.  418. 


FIG.  419. 


FIG.  420. 


From  the  point 
F  measure  along  the 
edge  of  the  runner 
three  and  one -half 
inches,  and  mark  the 
point  O.  Measure 
two  and  one- half 
inches  farther,  and 
mark  the  point  P. 
Measure  twelve 
inches  farther,  and 
mark  the  point  Q. 
Measure  two  and 
one-half  inches  more, 
and  mark  the  point 
R.  Again  take  the 
saw  and  saw  down 
one  inch  at  R,  Q,  P, 
and  O,  and  with  a 
chisel  cut  out  the 
wood  between  Rand 

Working  Plans  of  the  "  Get-There  •  Sled.  Q  f  "* d    between     P 

and  O,  as  shown  in 

Fig.  419.     With  your  jack-knife  cut  off  the  corner  at  G. 
Go  through  the  same  process  with  the  second  runner,  and 


FIG.  421. 


480  Winter 


see  that  one  is  an  exact  duplicate  of  the  other.  Next  make 
two  braces,  each  one  and  one-half  foot  long,  one  inch  thick, 
and  two  and  one-half  inches  wide.  Fit  the  braces  in  the 
notches  R  Q  and  P  O,  and  fasten  them  in  place  with  good 
screws  or  wire  nails. 

Take  a  piece  of  plank  one  foot  six  inches  wide  and  one 
inch  thick,  and  saw  off  a  piece  four  feet  six  inches  long  for 
a  top-board.  Saw  out  a  triangle  in  the  front  end  as  shown 
by  the  dotted  lines  in  Fig.  420.  With  your  knife  round  the 
sides  of  the  triangle,  as  shown  by  the  solid  lines  in  Fig.  420. 
Trim  off  the  rear  end  first,  as  shown  by  the  solid  line,  and 
then  gradually  whittle  it  to  the  form  shown  by  the  dotted 
lines  in  Fig.  420,  which  represents  the  top  with  the  runners 
on  each  side  of  it. 

The  Runners, 

of  course,  are  not  spread  out  as  shown  by  Fig.  420,  because 
you  have  already  nailed  on  the  stretchers  so  that  they 
must  rest  upon  their  edges,  but  the  diagram  is  drawn  with 
them  flat  upon  each  side  so  as  better  to  show  the  propor- 
tions of  each. 

Fit  the  top-piece  over  the  runners  and  nail  it  in  place, 
and  you  have  a  good  serviceable  sled  that  only  needs  a 
visit  to  the  blacksmith's  shop  to  make  it  a  better  one  than 
you  usually  find  for  sale  at  the  toy  stores. 

At  the  blacksmith  shop  have  your  sled  shod  with  what 
is  called  half-round  irons,  and  after  a  little  work  on  the  snow 
has  put  a  polish  on  the  iron  you  will  find  that  it  will  earn 
the  name  of  " Get-There"  (Fig.  421). 

The  Double-Runner,  or  Bob  Sled, 

as  it  is  frequently  called,  possesses  many  advantages  over 
the  long  sleds  formerly  used  west  of  the  Alleghany  Moun- 


The  "  Get-There"  and  Double-Rtmners    481 

tains.  The  old-fashioned  sleds  were  steered  by  the  boy  in 
front  kicking  with  his  heels  on  the  frozen  snow,  or  the  boy 
at  the  stern  by  dragging  one  foot  behind  as  a  rudder.  This 
answers  very  well  for  a  sled  of  the  dimensions  of  the  "  Get- 
There,"  but  when  the  sled  is  seven,  eight,  or  ten  feet  long, 
and  loaded  underneath  with  pig  iron  to  give  it  weight,  the 
boy  in  front  who  steers  has  a  difficult  and  exceedingly  dan- 
gerous  task,  especially  if  the  hill  is  steep  and  icy ;  and  it  is 
next  to  impossible  to  steer  such  a  craft  from  the  stern  by 
dragging  one  foot  behind. 

The  double-runner  is  much  lighter  and  very  much  easier 
to  steer  on  account  of  the  front  sled  being  arranged  so  that 
it  can  be  moved  independently  of  the  rear  sled,  for  a  turn 
to  the  right  or  the  left  causes  the  "  bob  "  to  take  the  direc- 
tion indicated  by  the  front  runners ;  but  double-runners 
steered  with  a  wheel,  lever,  or  yoke  in  front  are  very  dan- 
gerous, as  the  steersman,  in  case  of  an  accident,  is  thrown 
against  the  steering  apparatus,  usually  with  serious  results. 

The  safety  double-runner  does  away  with  this  danger  by 
having  a  bridle  with  which  it  is  steered.  It  also  does  away 
with  the  danger  of  collision  by  having  an  automatic  brake 
that  will  stop  it,  in  times  of  danger,  within  the  distance  of 
its  own  length.  These  are  qualities  which  will  be  appre- 
ciated by  all  who  "slide  down  hill,"  as  we  called  it  when  I 
was  a  lad,  or  who  are  fond  of  coasting,  as  our  school-readers 
called  it  then,  and  as  everyone  calls  it  now. 

How  to  Build  a  Safety  Double-Runner. 

Make  four  good  runners  after  the  manner  described  for 
the  "  Get-There,"  but  make  these  runners  not  over  six 
inches  high,  thirty  inches  on  the  top  edge,  and  with  more 
rake  to  the  bow  and  stern  (Fig.  422).  Next  make  eight 
braces,  each  fourteen  inches  long,  one  inch  thick,  and  two 
3* 


482 


Winter 


and  one  half  inches  broad,  and  mortise  the  ends  as  shown 
by  the  dotted  lines  in  Fig.  423.     At  a  point  three  inches 

FIGS  from  the  rear  top  end  of  the 
runner,  measure  off  on  the 
top  edge  three  inches,  then 
two  and  one  half  inches,  and 
mark  the  points.  Eight  inches 
in  front  of  the  last  point  make 
another  mark  and  measure 
two  and  one  half  inches  again, 
and  mark  it.  Now  set  the 
runner  upon  its  bottom  edge 
and  fit  your  braces  on  the 
two -and -one -half -inches 
marks,  and  with  a  pencil  trace 
upon  the  top  edge  of  the  run- 
ner the  outlines  of  the  mor- 
tise. 

Saw  out  the  lines  so  that 
FIG.  432- 


423, 


433. 


424. 


425. 


QF  QDIIJ 

FIG.  434. 
Working  Plans  for  the  Construction  of  Safety  Double-Runner. 


The  "  Get -There"  and  Double -Runners    483 

the  braces  will  fit  neatly  in  the  notches,  as  shown  in  Fig.  424. 
The  braces  should  be  of  good  ash  wood,  free  from  knots,  and 
must  be  fastened  to  the  runners  with  good  long  screws,  the 
holes  for  the  latter  being  carefully  bored  with  a  gimlet. 

For  a  top-board  cut  out  a  piece  of  board  one  inch  thick, 
fourteen  inches  wide,  and  thirteen  inches  from  front  to  rear. 
Fasten  the  top-board  securely  to  the  runners  over  the  braces 
with  screws  (Fig.  425). 

Find  the  centre  of  the  top-board  by  ruling  a  line  from 
each  corner,  as  shown  by  the  dotted  line  in  the  top  view, 
Fig.  425.  The  centre  of  the  top-board  and  the  spot  in  which 
to  bore  a  hole  for  the 

King-pin 

is  placed  where  the  diagonal  lines  cross  each  other.  The 
king-pin  is  ef  iron,  with  a  rounded  head  and  with  threads 
on  the  other  end  to  hold  a  nut  in  place.  Fig.  428  shows  the 
pin  and  the  nut  proportional  to  the  size  of  the  sled,  the  dia- 
gram, Fig.  429,  shows  an  enlarged  view  of  the  king-pin. 

The  Reach-Board 

is  the  long  board  that  forms  the  top  for  the  double-runner. 
Each  sled  has  a  top-board  of  its  own,  but  the  board  that 
joins  the  two  sleds  and  upon  which  the  passengers  sit  we 
will  call  a  reach-board.  This  should  be  free  from  knots,  of 
strong  elastic  wood,  sixteen  inches  wide,  an  inch  thick,  and 
as  long  as  you  may  desire  the  "  bob"  to  be.  In  the  one  we 
are  describing  it  is  eight  feet  long. 

It  is  evident  that  if  we  fasten  the  reach-board  to  the  top 
of  the  two  sleds  with  nails  it  will  be  as  difficult  to  steer  as 
the  big  sleds  we  spoke  of  at  the  beginning  of  this  description  ; 
and  if  we  fasten  it  directly  to  the  top  of  the  first  sled  by  the 
king-pin  the  friction  in  turning  will  be  too  great  To  obvi- 


484  Winter 


ate  this,  make,  of  oak,  a  bench-block,  fourteen  inches  long 
by  four  inches  wide  by  one  inch  thick,  and,  finding  the  cen- 
tre by  the  intersection  of  the  two  diagonal  lines,  as  you  did 
with  the  top-board,  make  a  hole  for  the  king-pin  (Fig.  426). 
Place  the  bench  on  top  of  the  sled  exactly  in  the  centre  of 
the  top-board  and  see  that  the  two  king-pin  holes  fit  exactly 
one  above  the  other,  and  that  the  ends  of  the  bench  are  even 
and  flush  with  the  sides  of  the  sled.  Then  securely  fasten 
it  in  place  with  good  long  screws  or  bolts.  Make  a  second 
block,  now,  of  good  oak,  about  nine  inches  long  by  three 
inches  broad  by  two  and  one-half  inches  thick,  bore  a  hole 
for  the  king-pin  through  the  centre  of  it  and  trim  it  down 
to  the  form  shown  by  Fig.  427.  This  is  the  reach-board 
block,  and  must  be  securely  fastened  to  the  reach-board  by 
bolts.  Fig.  432  shows  the  elevation,  that  is,  side  view  of 
king-pin,  bench,  and  block  all  in  place.  Fig.  434  shows  a 
top  view.  Of  course  the  reach-board,  from  this  point  of 
view,  will  hide  all  underneath  it,  but  in  this  case  we  must 
pretend  that  the  X  rays  have  been  turned  on  and  the  dotted 
lines  show  the  skeleton  underneath. 
Now  for 

The  Back  Sled, 

which,  of  course,  it  is  supposed,  was  put  together  at  the 
same  time  as  the  front  one,  and  is  an  exact  duplicate  of  it. 

We  need  for  the  back  sled  a  bench-block  fourteen  inches 
long,  four  inches  wide,  and  three  inches  thick.  Lengthwise 
through  the  centre,  from  end  to  end,  bore  a  hole  for  the 
stern-pin  (Fig.  430).  After  this  is  done  make  two  side- 
blocks,  one  inch  thick  and  a  little  broader  than  the  bench- 
block  (Fig.  431).  Bolt  the  bench-block  to  the  rear  of  the 
back  sled  and  fit  the  reach-board  on  for  trial.  Mark  the 
spot  where  the  side-blocks  are  to  go  and  bolt  them  securely 
in  place.  On  the  rear  sled,  in  the  side  view,  the  bench-  and 


The  "  Get -There"  and  Double -Runners  "485 

side-blocks  are  shown  in  place.  The  dotted  lines  show  the 
bench-block  behind  the  side-blocks.  The  stern-pin  is  similar 
to  the  king-pin  but  runs  crosswise  in  place  of  perpendicu- 
larly. It  is  also  fastened  with  a  nut  and  washer  at  one  end, 
while  the  rounded  head  holds  it  at  the  other  end. 

if  the  rear  sled  is  allowed  to  have  too  much  freedom  it 
will  wrench  itself  loose  at  the  first  obstacle  it  strikes.  To 
prevent  this  attach  a  small  chain  or  strong  cord  to  each 
runner  and  to  the  bottom  side  of  the  reach-board,  as  may 
be  seen  by  a  glance  at  the  elevation  and  plan  of  back  sled 
(Fig.  432).  The  cord  is  shown  by  dotted  lines  on  the  plan 
or  top  view  (Fig.  434). 

The  Automatic  Brake. 

From  a  hasty  glance  at  the  plan  and  elevation  this  may 
appear  to  be  rather  intricate  and  difficult  to  understand ; 
but  with  the  exercise  of  a  little  patience  you  will  see  that  it 
is  very  simple.  There  is  a  block  against  which  a  pin  is  kept 
by  a  spiral  spring.  A  peg  through  the  pin  near  the  after 
end  keeps  the  spring  in  place,  and  a  staple,  screw  eye,  or  ring, 
behind  the  peg  protects  it  and  supports  the  brake-pin.  A 
similar  ring  supports  the  forward  end  of  the  pin  and  keeps 
the  spring  confined  between  the  two.  There  is  a  small  in* 
dentation  in  the  block  to  receive  the  end  of  the  pin  (Fig.  433). 
Any  boy  can  see  that  a  chain  looped  over  the  end  of  the  pin, 
after  the  manner  of  the  one  shown  in  the  two  views  (Figs. 
432  and  434),  will  drop  to  the  ground  when  the  pin  is  pulled 
forward,  and  when  it  falls  to  the  ground  it  will  be  directly  in 
front  of  the  rear  runners.  The  latter  cannot  go  far  with  a 
bunch  of  chain  under  each  runner,  and  the  whole  thing  will 
stop  even  when  the  headway  is  something  extraordinary. 
To  loosen  the  brake  the  boy  in  front  simply  puts  his  foot 
against  the  end  of  an  iron  rod  that  has  one  end  bent  over 


486 


Winter 


to  receive  the  foot.  A  push  on  this  pulls  the  picture  wire- 
cord  that  runs  from  it  to  the  end  of  the  brake-pin.  To 
bring  the  brake  within  reach  of  the  steersman's  foot  two 
of  those  brass  bell-cranks  that  all  bell-hangers  use  when 
they  have  to  turn  a  corner  with  their  bell-wire,  are  neces- 
sary. These  cranks  are  fastened  at  their  middle  to  the  bot- 
tom of  the  reach-board,  while  the  wire  picture-cord  con- 
nects them  with  the  brake-pin  and  the  bolt  at  the  side  of 
the  reach-board.  The  bolt  is  made  exactly  on  the  princi- 
ples of  a  bolt  for  a  door,  but  one  end  of  this  bolt  has  a  hole 
through  it  to  hold  the  wire,  and  the  other  end  is  bent  into 
a  crook  as  a  rest  for  the  foot. 

Safety  Reins. 

A  foot-rest  for  the  bow  man  is  made  of  ash,  and  extends 
at  least  ten  inches  upon  each  side  of  the  reach-board,  to  the 
bottom  of  which  it  is  securely  fastened.  In  each  end  of 
this  foot-rest  there  is  a  pulley-wheel,  as  shown  by  the  dotted 
lines.  Across  the  top  of  the  front  runners  a  brace  is  securely 
fastened  to  which  the  bridle  is  attached.  The  bridle  runs 
through  the  blocks  or  pulleys  at  the  end  of  the  foot-rest. 

With  the  bridle  in  his  hands  and  the  automatic  brake 
ready  for  instant  operation,  the  steersman  may  coast  down 
what  are  considered  dangerous  hills,  and  feel  that  there 
is  no  great  peril.  Should  an  obstacle,  such  as  a  wagon,  a 
horse-car,  trolley,  or  steam-car,  suddenly  appear,  one  push 
of  his  foot  drops  a  loop  of  chain  in  front  of  the  rear  runners 
and  his  safety  double-runner  will  stop  almost  within  its  own 
length.  If  too  sudden  a  stop  unseats  the  steersman,  he  sim- 
ply slides  off,  for  there  is  no  dangerous  wheel,  yoke,  or  helm 
in  front  for  him  to  be  thrown  against. 

It  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  the  reader  is  to  make  all 
the  iron -work  for  the  safety  double  -  runner.  This  the 


The  "  Get -There"  and  Double -Runners    487 

blacksmith  can  do,  and  if  the  expense  is  greater  than  one 
boy  feels  disposed  to  stand,  remember  that  this  sled  is  built 
to  accommodate  a  number  of  boys,  and  a  club  can  be  formed 
which  will  make  the  expense  very  light.  Your  brake-chain 
should  have  large  links,  but  not  necessarily  very  heavy  ones. 
It  must  be  fastened  with  a  ring-bolt  at  each  end  to  the  bot- 
tom of  the  reach-board.  The  runners  of  the  sleds  should  be 
shod  with  half-round  irons,  and  everything  made  with  the 
idea  of  strength  in  view.  Use  bolts  in  place  of  screws 
wherever  it  is  practicable.  The  sled  will  not  be  found  ex- 
pensive, and  if  well  built,  it  will  last  long  enough  to  be  used 
by  two  or  three  generations  of  boys. 

Load  your  double-runner  with  a  crowd  of  jolly  fellows 
and  start  down  the  hill.  May  you  enjoy  the  ride  with  that 
keen  pleasure  which  only  youth  and  health  can  feel.  The 
longest  hill  has  its  foot,  and  the  faster  you  coast  the  sooner 
it  will  be  reached. 

We  have  gone  through  four  seasons  of  fun  together,  and 
although  we  have  not  seen  each  other,  we  have  worked 
together  over  kites,  boats,  and  sleds,  and  now,  as  we  coast 
on  our  new  bob-sled,  it  is  with  feelings  of  regret  that  I  find 
we  have  at  length  reached  the  bottom  of  the  hill  and 


THE  END  OF  THE  BOOK. 


INDEX 


Aerial  fish  and  dragons,  90 
American  Game  of  Three,  the,  299 
Angle- worms,    115;   the  work   they 
do,    116;     how  to    collect,    117; 
varieties  of,    118;    how    to   keep 
them  healthy,   118;  how  to  bring 
them  out  of  their  holes,  1 19 
Aparejo,  the,  384 

Aquatic  sports,  151-155;  boating- 
clothes,  151  ;  how  to  make  a  bath- 
ing-suit, 1 52  ;  sunburn,  1 52  ;  clothes 
for  canoeing,  1 54 ;  stick  to  your 
boat,  154;  life-preservers,  155 


B 


Bait,  live  and  dead,  115-144;  angle- 
worms, 115;  the  work  angle-worms 
do,  116;  how  to  collect  angle- 
worms, 117;  varieties  of  angle- 
worms, 118;  how  to  keep  angle- 
worms healthy,  1 1 8  ;  how  to  bring 
worms  out  of  their  holes,  119;  hell- 
gramites,  bogerts,  hojacks,  dobsons, 
or  clippers,  120-123;  white  grub- 
worms,  1 23 ;  gentles,  or  young  blue- 


bottle flies,  124;  trout  bait,  125; 
katydids,  125  ;  black  crickets,  125  ; 
grasshoppers,  126,  127  ;  lampreys, 
127  ;  habits  of  lampreys,  128  ;  how 
to  catch  lampreys,  129;  how  to 
keep  lampreys,  130;  frogs,  130; 
how  to  bait  a  live  frog,  131  ;  how 
to  catch  frogs,  131  ;  red  flannel 
frog-bait,  133  ;  how  to  keep  frogs, 
133;  live  minnows,  134;  how  to 
catch  minnows,  135,  136;  how  to 
construct  a  minnow  bucket,  135; 
how  to  keep  minnows  alive,  1 36 ; 
crawfish,  137;  miscellaneous  bait, 
*37»  H3~I44;  looking-glass  bait, 
137-139;  bottom  bait,  139;  dead 
bait,  140;  how  to  pick  up  a  live 
eel,  140;  how  to  skin  an  eel,  140; 
eel-tail  bait,  140  ;  how  to  keep  eels 
for  bait,  142  ;  skittering,  142 
Ball,  games  of :  Town-ball,  336  ;  One 
or  Two  Old  Cat,  striking  out,  or 
feeder,  341 ;  House-ball,  341  ;  Hand 
Up,  342  ;  Bailie  Gallic,  343  ;  Crack- 
about,  344 ;  Over  the  Barn,  House 
Over,  or  Haley  Over,  344 ;  Stool- 
ball,  345 ;  Corner-ball,  345  ;  Black 
Baby,  346  ;  Roily  Poly,  348 ;  Hat- 
ball,  349 ;  see  also  Foot-ball 


490 


Index 


Bailie  Gallic,  343 

Ballista,  the  Boys'  Baby,  how  to  make, 
391-395  ;  the  shells,  394 

Bathing-suit,  how  to  make,  1 52 

Bees :  honey-bee  messengers,  234- 
237 ;  the  box  of  bees,  234  ;  how  to 
make  and  write  the  message,  235, 
236  ;  how  to  handle  the  bees,  236 ; 
how  to  make  your  key,  237 ;  how 
to  avoid  bee  stings,  237  ;  a  bee's 
stinger,  238 

Bicycling,  365-373  ;  baggage  and  how 
to  carry  it,  365  ;  a  photographic 
outfit,  366;  a  naturalist's  outfit, 
367  ;  as  to  punctures,  369 ;  how  to 
rig  a  jury  handle-bar,  369  ;  a  rope 
tire,  370;  cleaning  and  repairing 
rack,  371  ;  a  bicycle  stand,  372; 
a  night  parade,  373 

Black  Baby,  346 

Black  Man,  286 

Black  Tom,  285 

Blow-guns,  395-401 ;  to  make  a  tar- 
get, 398 ;  blow-gun  parachute,  400 

Boats  and  boating,  156-221  ;  nauti- 
cal terms  defined,  156-164,  165- 
169, 171, 174 ;  red  and  green  lights, 
157;  how  to  steer  a  boat,  163; 
how  to  sail  a  boat,  164-166;  to 
sail  close-hauled,  166 ;  what  to  do 
in  a  thunder-storm,  171 ;  to  reef 
without  lowering  sail,  172  ;  to  reef 
or  square  knot,  173  ;  to  shake  out 
a  reef,  173;  lights  for  canoe,  174; 
some  "do  nots,"  174;  rigs  of  all 
kinds  for  small  boats,  176-186 ;  the 
cat,  176;  the  sloop,  178;  racing 
sloops,  178  ;  jib  and  mainsail,  178 ; 
schooner  rig,  178 ;  the  balance  lug, 


179;  the  standing  lug,  180;  leg- 
of-mutton  sail,  1 80  ;  the  buckeye, 
1 80;  sliding  gunter,  183  ;  sharpies, 
183;  the  sprit  leg-of-mutton  sail, 
184;  the  dandy  jigger,  or  mizzen 
rig,  184;  the  lateen  rig,  185;  the 
ship,  1 86;  a  "rough-and-ready" 
boat,  how  to  build  and  rig  it,  187- 
196;  how  to  make  and  reef  the 
sail,  195,  196;  rafts  that  will  sail, 
197-212  ;  how  to  make  a  Man-Fri- 
day raft,  198  ;  the  sail,  201 ;  the 
keelig,  202  ;  a  home-made  catama- 
ran, 203-210;  single  .shells,  213- 
216  ;  checks  or  cracks,  213  ;  cause 
of  upsets,  214;  delights  of  a  shell, 
214;  how  to  stand  up  in,  land  from, 
and  embark  in  a  shell,  215,  216; 
the  umbrella  canoe,  216-221 

Bogerts,  122 

Bowlder  On ;  or,  Duck  on  a  Rock,  327 

Bowls,  329 

Bull  in  the  ring,  301 

Buoys,  keeled,  towed  by  kites,  51 


Cabinet,  how  to  make  a,  229 
Camping  out,  377-390  ;  how  to  make 
a  fire  in  the  rain,  377  ;  building  a 
fire  without  matches,  378 ;  select- 
ing a  camping-place,  379  ;  a  birch- 
bark  torch,  381 ;  a  sleeping  bag, 
384 ;  the  famous  diamond  hitch, 
384 ;  the  aparejo,  384 ;  how  to 
make  a  cinch,  388  ;  cooking  uten- 
sils, 390 ;  food,  390 
Canoeing,  1 54 ;  lights  for  canoe,  174 ; 


Index 


491 


Ozias  Dodge's  umbrella  canoe,  216- 
221 

Cat ;  see  Tip  Cat.  One  or  Two  Old 
Cat ;  see  Ball 

Catamaran  ;  see  Boats  and  Boating, 
or  Rafts 

Caterpillars,  222,  224 

Choosing  the  master,  324 

Choosing  up  and  "It,"  245-251; 
"  which  hand  is  it  in  ?  "  245 ;  "  Pick- 
'er  up,  Wipe'er  off,  and  Stone 
holder,"  246 ;  "  Last  one  over  is 
It,"  246 ;  short  straw,  247  ;  "  Han- 
dy, Dandy,  Riderly,  Ro,"  248 ; 
"  Whole  fist  or  four  fingers,"  248  ; 
"Odd  or  even,"  249;  "Heads  or 
Tails,"  250 ;  "  Wet  or  Dry,"  250 

Cinch,  how  to  make  the,  388 

Collectors,  hints  for,  222-233  ;  prac- 
tical value  of  study  of  insects,  223  ; 
popular  classification,  223,  224; 
life  of  caterpillars,  224  ;  differences 
in  insects,  226;  preserving  speci- 
mens, 226-229;  how  to  make  a 
cabinet,  229 

College  cries ;  see  Cries 

Corner-ball,  345 

Counting  out  rhymes,  252-263 

Cow-boys,  or  cattle  rustling,  292 

Crackabout,  344 

Crawfish,  1 37 ;    how  to  keep  alive, 

137 

Crickets,  black,  125 
Cries    of    various    kinds,    407-418; 

"  Hello,"  408  ;    "  Tally-ho,"  408  ; 

war-cry  of  wild  tribes,  409;  the 

Rebel  yell,  409;   "Coo-ee,"  410; 

"  Yaqui,"4io ;  small  boys'  call,  41 1 ; 

"  Whoo-ah ! "  41 1 ;  "  Mee-ma  Red 


Eye,"  411;  "Oh,"  412;  "  Lil," 
"  Track,"  "  Way  !  "  412  ;  "  K-e-e 
yoy!  Hoo !  Hoo!"  412;  College 
cries:  Princeton,  413;  Yale,  413; 
Harvard,  413  ;  Cornell,  413  ;  Will- 
iams, 414 ;  Trinity,  414  ;  Wesleyan, 
414;  Brown,  414;  Colorado,  414; 
Leland  Stanford,  Jr.,  414 ;  Dart- 
mouth, 414;  Union,  415;  Uni- 
versity of  Illinois,  415;  Hanover, 
415  ;  Westminster,  41 5  ;  Cornell  of 
Iowa,  416  ;  Amherst,  416  ;  Boston 
University,  416;  Cumberland  Uni- 
versity, 416  ;  Rutgers,  417  ;  Roch- 
ester University,  417;  University 
of  Washington,  417  ;  Hobart,  417  ; 
Syracuse  University,  417;  Univer- 
sity of  Pennsylvania,  417 


Den  of  Wild  Beasts,  288 
Diamond  hitch,  the,  384 
Dick's  Hat-band,  317 
Dixie's  Land,  or  Yank  and  Johnny 
Reb,  289 


Eels,  how  to  pick  up  alive,  140 ;  how 
to  skin,  140;  eel-tail  bait,  140; 
how  to  keep  eels  for  bait,  142 


Fire,  building  in  the  rain,  377 ;  build- 
ing without  matches,  378 

Fishing,  common-sense  precautions 
in,  145-148  ;  nature  as  a  teacher, 


492 


Index 


146  ;  why  and  how  fish  are  easily 
frightened,  145 ;  effect  of  fisher- 
man being  seen,  147  ;  trolling  with 
a  spoon,  148;  a  word  about  fly- 
fishkig,  148 

Fish  stunning,  471-474 

Foot-an'-half,  311 

Foot-ball,  428-441  ;  antiquity  of  the 
game,  428 ;  points  of  the  game, 
430;  the  ball,  431 ;  the  field,  431  ; 
the  teams,  432  ;  the  kicks,  433 ;  in- 
touch,  433 ;  a  fair  catch,  434 ;  the 
heel-mark,  434 ;  off  side,  434 ;  on 
side,  434 ;  out  of  bounds,  435 ; 
place-kicking,  436  ;  the  formation, 
437 ;  the  toss-up,  437  ;  lining  up, 
437  ;  the  scrimmage,  439  ;  a  snap- 
back,  440 

Four  fingers,  248 

Frogs  as  bait,  130;  how  to  bait  a 
live  frog,  131  ;  how  to  catch  a  frog, 
131 ;  red  flannel  frog-bait,  133  ;  how 
to  keep  frogs,  133  ;  how  to  preserve 
dead  frogs  or  minnows,  143 


Gentles,  or  young  blue-bottle  flies, 
124 

Golf,  442-448 ;  antiquity  of  game, 
442;  the  links,  444;  the  teeing- 
ground,  444 ;  the  holes,  445  ;  the 
clubs,  445  ;  the  ball,  447  ;  hazards, 
447  ;  a  bunker,  447  ;  expert  players, 
448 

Grasshoppers,  126;  a  grasshopper- 
box,  127 


H 


Haley  over,  344 

Hand  up,  342 

"  Handy,  Dandy,  Riderly,  Ro,"  248 

Hat-ball,  349 

"  Heads  or  Tails,"  250 

Hellgramites,  120,  121 

Hockey,  450 

Hojacks,  122 

Home,  279 

Hoops  and  wheels,  95-98 ;  old  and 
new  fangled  hoops,  95 ;  how  to 
trundle  a  wheel,  97 ;  tin-can  cover, 

97 
Hop-Scotch,  354,  360  ;  the  Potsherd, 

356 

House-ball,  341 
House  over,  344 
Hunkety,  305 


Indian  games,  adapted  for  boys, 
419-427 ;  squaw,  saddle-bags,  or 
sky  shinny,  419-422 ;  mandan 
ring,  422-427 ;  how  to  make  a 
tchungkee,  423  ;  leather  barbs,  423 

I  spy,  304-309 ;  hunkety,  305 ;  kick 
the  wicket,  307 


Jack's  alive,  320 

Jack  and  the  candles,  323 

Jack-stones,  360-364 


Index 


493 


Katydids,  125 

Kick  the  wicket,  307 

King's  X,  281 

Kites,  46-94  ;  kite  time,  46 ;  kites  for 
practical  uses,  47 ;  pulley  and 
weight  kite,  48 ;  steering  kites,  49 ; 
attached  to  a  wagon  or  sled,  50, 
51 ;  keeled  buoys  towed  by  kites, 
51,  52;  kites  for  sails  for  small 
boats,  53;  kites  for  swimming,  54; 
runaway  kites,  55  ;  belly-band,  55  ; 
a  team  of  eight  kites  loose,  56 ;  a 
runaway's  experience,  56 ;  kite 
tows  a  plank,  57  ;  notes  to  Nep- 
tune, 57  ;  messengers  up  the  kite- 
string,  58 ;  high  fliers,  59 ;  the 
Hargrave  kite,  60-64  I  double  and 
triple  kite,  64 ;  how  to  make 
compound  kites,  64 ;  triple  Malay 
kite,  64 ;  kite-string,  65  ;  Malay 
kites,  67  ;  how  to  make  a  tailless  kite, 
68  ;  how  to  make  a  Woglom  kite, 
69;  Holland  kite,  69;  Mr.  Eddy's 
kite,  70,  71  ;  seven  kites  in  tandem, 
71  ;  how  to  make  wing  and  wing, 
72-74;  tail  and  belly-bands,  74; 
a  "dancing  bear,"  75;  a  tandem, 
76  ;  the  best  tandem  arrangement, 
77 ;  tailless  kites  the  best,  77,  78  ; 
"Cannibal  kites,"  79-85;  a  Chi- 
nese butterfly  kite,  86 ;  the  McAdie- 
Hammon  California  barrel  kite, 
87-89;  paper  dragon  or  fish  for 
kite -strings,  90;  pennants,  92; 
comical  figures,  92  ;  a  live  man 
kite,  93 


Lampreys,  128;  habits  of,  128  ;  how 
to  catch,  129;  how  to  keep,  130 

Lariat,  the,  401-406;  how  the  raw- 
hide lariat  is  made,  402  ;  how  to 
make  a  boy's  lariat,  403;  how  to 
throw  the  rope,  404 ;  the  lariat  on 
horseback,  405 

"  Last  one  over  is  It,"  246 

Leap-frog,  310-319;  "  giving  a  back," 
311  ;  foot-an'-half,  311  ;  par,  314; 
Spanish  fly,  314;  torchlight,  314; 
"hats  on  deck,"  315;  "hats  full 
of  water,"  315  ;  hats  in  the  water, 
315;  effect  of  bad  names,  316; 
Dick's  hat-band,  317 

Life-preservers,  155 

"  Lil !  Lil !  over  the  Hill !  "  294 


M 

Man-Friday  ;  see  Boats  and  Boating, 
or  Rafts 

Marbles,  3-36;  terms  used  in  the 
game,  6,  7  ;  the  right  spirit,  8 ; 
knuckle  dabsters,  8,9;  a  marble 
bag,  9;  whom  to  play  marbles 
with,  10 ;  how  marbles  were  first 
made,  1 1 ;  marbles  in  America, 
ii,  12;  made  abroad  nowadays, 
12  ;  local  names  of  marbles,  12,  13  ; 
how  marbles  are  made,  13  ;  com- 
mon marbles,  14;  the  alley,  15; 
the  China  and  plaster,  1 5 ;  the 
Bumbo  and  Peawee,  1 5 ;  crystals, 
15;  the  lucky  taw,  16;  cunny 
thumb  or  scrumpy  knuckled,  16; 


494 


Index 


Southern  and  Arabian  way  of 
shooting,  17,  18;  Fat,  "Yank," 
and  other  games  of  marbles,  19; 
stand-up  marbles,  21  ;  "  follerings," 
22  ;  the  art  of  badying,  23 ;  knucks, 
24 ;  the  long  ring,  25  ;  Patterson, 
26  ;  gambling  games,  26  ;  the  bull- 
ring, 27 ;  sneaking  or  dribbling, 
29 ;  duck-in-a-hole,  29 ;  king  duck, 
30;  Meg-in-a-hole,  31  ;  Meg-on-a- 
string,  32 ;  what  counts,  33 ;  In- 
jun, block,  or  square  ring,  34 

Minnows,  as  bait,  134 ;  how  to  catch, 
13S>  l$6>  a  minnow  bucket,  135; 
how  to  keep  minnows  alive,  136; 
how  to  preserve  dead  minnows,  143 

Mumbly  peg,  350-354 

Musk-rats,  stunning,  470 

N 

Nautical  terms  and  expressions  de- 
fined, 156-163,  165-169,  171,  174 
Nine-  and  ten-pins,  328 


41  Odd  or  even,"  249 

Old  Bloody  Tom,  Black  Tom,  or 

44  Pull  Away,"  285 
Over  the  barn,  344 


, 

44  Pick'er  up,  wipe'er  off,  and  stone- 

holder,"  246 
Potsherd,  the,  356 
Potter,  Humphrey,  4,  5 
Prisoner's  Base,  287 
"  Pull  Away,"  285 


Rafts,  for  sailing,  197-212  ;  a  Man- 
Friday,  198;  the  deck,  198;  the 
sail,  201  ;  the  keelig,  202  ;  a  home- 
made catamaran,  203-210;  a  Tom 
Thumb  catamaran,  210-212;  dan- 
ger of  false  pride,  212 

Red  Ogre,  the,  297 

Rigs  of  all  kinds  for  small  boats ;  see 
Boats  and  Boating 

Roily  Poly,  348 

Rome  and  Carthage,  475 


Saddle-bags,  419-422 

Sail,  how  to  make  and  reef  the,  195, 
196;  of  a  raft,  201 

Shells,  single,  213-216;  checks  or 
cracks,  213;  cause  of  upsets,  214; 
how  to  stand  in,  land  from,  and 
embark  in,  215,  216 

Shinny,  449 

Short  straw,  247 

Skating,  460-469 ;  keep  your  hands 
out  of  your  pockets,  461  ;  when  to 
begin,  461  ;  little  danger,  461 ;  old 
wooden  skate,  462 ;  cutting  a  cir- 
cle, 463  ;  the  backward  circle,  464 ; 
skating  backward,  465  ;  the  spread- 
eagle,  465  ;  how  to  perform  the 
feat,  465  ;  the  bull-frog,  466 ; 
spread-eagle  circle,  467  ;  grapevine 
garland,  467 ;  outside  edge,  467  ; 
air-holes,  468  ; "  Follow  the  leader," 
or  "  I  conquer,"  468  ;  the  Tickly- 
Bender,  or  Running  Tommie,  469  ; 
stunning  musk-rats  and  fish,  470- 
474 


Index 


495 


Skittles,  329 ;  bowls,  329 ;  British,  329 ; 
in  China  and  Persia,  330;  Brick, 
331  ;  Fours,  331  ;  Dutch  Pins,  331 

Sky  shinny,  419-422 

Sleds,  478-487  ;  the  "  Get-there," 
478-480 ;  the  runners,  480 ;  the 
double-runner,  or  bob-sled,  480 ;  a 
safety  double-runner,  481-487 

Sleeping-bag,  a,  384 

Snow-ball  battle,  475  ;  Rome  and 
Carthage,  475 

Snow-tag,  476 

Spanish  Fly,  314 

Spirit  tortoise,  and  dead  turtle,  321 

Squaw,  419-422 

Stilts,  102-114;  how  to  make  stilts, 
102,  103  ;  Tom's  wooden  legs,  102  ; 
hand  stilts,  103  ;  a  short-lived  tri- 
umph, 105  ;  stilts  of  the  Japs,  105  ; 
tattooed  stilt-walkers  of  the  Mar- 
quesas, 1 06;  anti-gadabouts,  107; 
shepherds  on  stilts,  108;  best  for 
the  boys,  no;  trick  stilt- walking, 
1 10 ;  skating  on  stilts,  in;  ocuya, 
or  giant  dance,  112;  new  woman 
on  stilts,  113;  tomato-can  stilts, 
114;  lath-stilts,  114 

Stool-ball,  345 

Stunning  musk-rats  and  fish,  470-474 

Sucker,  the,  how  to  make,  99-101  ; 
leather  suckers  and  live  suckers, 
99 ;  how  to  use  the  sucker,  99 ;  a 
live  sucker,  101 

Sunburn,  152 

Swimming,  264  et  seq.  \  how  to  make 
and  use  a  wooden  swimming  mas- 
ter, 265-268  ;  hints  for  the  begin- 
ner, 268-271;  kicking,  270;  the 
breast-stroke,  271  ;  the  grapevine 


cable,  272  ;  the  suspension  bridge, 
272  ;  the  chump's  raft,  274 ;  water 
bladder,  275 ;  tub  races,  276 ; 
springing  boards,  277  ;  back  som- 
ersaults, 278 


Tag,  games  of,  279  et  seq. ;  Home, 
279;  King's  X,  281  ;  Last 
283 ;  Iron  Tag,  Wood  Tag,  Stone 
Tag,  and  Cross  Tag,  283 ;  Korun- 
gattam  or  Monkey  Tag,  284 ;  Old 
Bloody  Tom,  Black  Tom,  or  "  Pull 
Away,"  285  ;  "  What  are  you  Doing 
in  My  Vineyard  ?  "  or  Black  Man, 
286 ;  Prisoner's  Base,  287  ;  The  Den 
of  Wild  Beasts,  288 ;  Dixie's  Land, 
or  Yank  and  Johnny  Reb,  289; 
Tommy  Tiddler's  Land,  292  ;  Cow- 
boys, or  Cattle  Rustling,  292  ;  "  Lil ! 
Lil!  over  the  Hill!"  294;  Wolf 
and  Sheep,  294  ;  What  time  do  you 
dine;  or,  the  Brown-eared  Wolf, 
295 ;  the  Red  Ogre,  297  ;  Amer- 
ican game  of  Three,  299 ;  Bull  in 
the  ring,  301 

Terrapin  hunting,  457 

Tip  cat,  332-335;  how  the  cat  is 
made,  332  ;  English  cat,  333 ; 
country  cat,  334 ;  American  cat,  334 

Tommy  Tiddler's  Land,  292 

Tops,  37-45  ;  top  time,  37 ;  home- 
made tops,  38  ;  plug  in  the  ring,  40 ; 
get  a  good  string,  40  ;  splitting  the 
bait  top  a  great  honor,  42 ;  chip 
stone,  43 ;  whip-tops,  44 ;  how  to 
spin  the  top,  45  ;  fighting  tops,  45  ; 
racing  tops,  45 


496 


Index 


Town-ball,  336 

Turtle  hunting,  45  5-459  ;  hooking 
turtles,  456 ;  terrapin  hunting,  457 

w 

Water,  in  the ;  see  Swimming 

"  Wet  or  dry,"  250 

41  What  are  you  Doing  in  My  Vine- 
yard ?  "  or  Black  Man,  286 

What  time  do  you  dine;  or,  the 
brown-eared  wolf,  295 


"  Which  hand  is  it  in  ?  "  245 

"  Whole  fist;  or,  four  fingers,"  248 

Wolf  and  Sheep,  294 

Worms;  see  Angle-worms,  123 


"  Zoo,"  a,  for  the  housetop  or  back- 
yard, 239-244;  strange  birds  on 
city  housetops,  239 ;  materials  for 
a  "  zoo,"  241 


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